


Frayed: The Appendices

by Pelydryn



Series: Frayed [2]
Category: Arthurian Mythology, Celtic Mythology, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthurian, Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Character Reference, Essays, Fanwork Research & Reference Guides, Geography, History, Mythology - Freeform, Nonfiction, Research, Spells & Enchantments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 24,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelydryn/pseuds/Pelydryn
Summary: Appendices for the storyFrayed.Which mostly consists of the author spending way too much time trying to reconcileMerlinTV canon, Arthurian legend, Celtic mythology, geography, and actual history in order to piece together a story world. It is not necessary to read this to understandFrayed, nor is it necessary to readFrayedto understand most of this.This is non-fiction and a work in progress.11/09/20 -- Updated spells, quotations, and minor characters through Chapter 84.11/11/20 -- Added discussion of Bruta and Sigan
Series: Frayed [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581973
Comments: 12
Kudos: 8





	1. Table of Contents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Table of contents

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

Crossed out entries haven't been posted yet.

1\. Table of Contents

2\. [Introduction](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52474525#workskin)

3\. [Disclaimers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52476187#workskin)

4\. [References](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52476247)

5\. [The Map](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52476946)

LOCATIONS

6\. [Kingdoms of Southern Albion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511314): _Cornwall, Deorham, Isle of Mora, Kent, Nemeth  
_

7\. [Kingdoms of Central Albion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52545337#workskin): _Anglia, Camelot, Dyfed, Escetir (Essetir), Gawant, Gwynedd (Caerleon), Mercia, Tír-Mòr_

~~Kingdoms of Northern Albion: _Bernicia,_ _Deira,_ _Elmet (The Perilous Lands), Gododdin, Northumbria, Rheged, Strathclyde_~~

~~Kingdoms of Far Northern Albion: _Alba_ , _Dalriada,_~~ _~~Uerturio~~  
_

 ~~Towns and Cities:~~ _~~Camelot, Ealdor, Nemeth, Tintagel~~  
_

 ~~[Other locations](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511578): ~~ _~~The Watch Tower, the Plains of Denaria, the Valley of the Fallen Kings, the Crystal Cave~~  
_

CHARACTERS

~~Main Characters: _Aithusa, Agravaine, Arthur, Elyan, Gaius, Gwaine, Gwen, Hunith, Kilgharrah, Isolde, Leon, Merlin, Mithian, Morgana, Percival, Tristan_~~

[Arthur’s (Unimportant) Canonical Knights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511272): _Brennis, Cador, Caradoc, Geraint, Ranulf, Vidor_

~~Rulers of Albion: _Alined, Ancient Kings, Annis, Bayard, Bruta, Caerleon, Elena, The Fisher King, Godwyn, Lot, Mithian, Morgana, Odin, Odin’s son, Rodor, Vivian_~~

~~Minor Canonical Characters: _Ari, Audrey, Freya, Geoffrey of Monmouth, George, Helios, Iseldir, Mordred, Ruadan, Osgar, Vivienne_~~

[Minor Original Characters Based on Arthurian Legend:](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52609579) _Aldroenus, Blanchefleur, Brangaine, Constantine, Cynfarch, Elizabeth, Johfrit, Luned, Mabon, Mark, Melwas (Freckle-Face), Nudd, Rhiannon, Rivalen, Rual, Vortigern, Ywain_

[Minor Original Characters, non-Arthurian](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511341): _Ann, Alfred, Bertha, Boris, Droopy Face, John, Joseph, Mary, Matilda, Not-Percival, Rion, Robert, Rose, Simon, Susan, Tilda, Tom_

~~Canonical characters, mentioned in passing: _Alator, Alice_~~

~~Canonical Characters, mentioned in passing, deceased prior the story's beginning (Episode 4x09): _Aredian, Balinor, Cenred, Cornelius Sigan, Geraint, Gorlois, Hengist, Kanen, Knights of Medhir, Lancelot, Leon's mother, Morgause, Nimueh, Tom (Gwen's dad), Uther, Ygraine_~~

~~Sorcerers captured or killed by the Knights of Camelot (canonical): _Aglain, Alvarr, Cerdan, (Freya), Tauren, Tom Collins_~~

~~Magical creatures: _Bastet, Dochraid, Fomorroh, Gean Canach (the slug), High Priestesses, Nathair,_~~

[ _Deities: The Triple Goddess_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/54077608)

[ _Deities: The Dagda/An Dagda_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/56226445)

[ _Historical Figures: King Bruta and Cornelius Sigan_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/67301281)

~~Groups of people: _Britons, Camelot guards, Camelot nobility,The Council, Druids, Ealdor's villagers, Gaels, kennel workers, kitchen workers, Picts, refugees, servant girls, Saxons, soldiers from various kingdoms, Southrons, etc._~~

~~Unnamed characters~~

OTHER

[The Creation Myth](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/56396410): Soulmates, Eiocha, the Gods, Humans, Mistletoe

[Spells](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511191)

[Dialogue Credits](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/52511224)

~~Genealogies~~

~~Timelines (years, days)~~

ESSAYS

~~Women in _Frayed_~~

~~Perfectionism~~

[Does liking Hurt/Comfort make you a horrible person?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/56440516#workskin)

[Thoughts on Chapter 74: How Tristan and Isolde are responsible for the appendices](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/56440393)


	2. Introduction

** INTRODUCTION **

As I've been writing _Frayed_ (which I will finish or die trying; it's a matter of personal honour and integrity at this point), I keep getting distracted learning about the characters and places that appear in the story. One thing led to another... Which is to say a Merlin canon question turned into an Arthurian legend question, which turned into a history question, which turned into a geography question...

And now the file of notes for _Frayed_ is almost as long as the actual story.

This has led to various attempts at organization, both of research and story facts. (I love organizing things! It must be [the J](https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/judging-or-perceiving.htm?bhcp=1) in me. I love personality theory too, but that's a different story.)

These appendices are, more or less, the results of all that organization. If I solidify the knowledge into something fit for public consumption, then I learn it better, which helps me to write the story.


	3. Disclaimers/Advisories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers and Advisories

** DISCLAIMERS/ADVISORIES **

**You don't need to read this work to read _Frayed_. On the flip side, there will be a lot of stuff here that has nothing to do with _Frayed_ at all.

**There are minor spoilers for _Frayed_. If there are major spoilers at any point, I will mark it with a spoiler warning.

**This is non-fiction. If you want fanfic, go here: <https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Merlin%20(TV)/works>

**I'm not a historian, nor a history student. I'm just doing research to amuse myself and get a general idea about things. That general idea probably has flaws.

**" _If you take from one source, it's called plagiarism. If you take from multiple sources, it's called research_." Clearly, this is "research." 😀

**This is a project created for the author's use and enjoyment. Anyone else will probably be bored to tears. Don't say I didn't warn you.

**The appendices will be posted in an incomplete state and filled in over time. (It's easier to deal with ao3's posting system that way.)

**The contents of the appendices may be changed at any time.

**The contents of the appendices likely have some errors.

**I don't own anything and make no money off of this. (Which is pretty obvious, but it feels wrong to have disclaimers without including the standard fanfic one.)

** _Frayed_ is a story filled with warnings. Enter the actual story at your own risk.


	4. References

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> References (an incomplete list)

**REFERENCES** (an incomplete list)

**Merlin (TV) wiki** : <https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Merlin_Wiki>

> The Merlin wiki is awesome, though I do find quite a few inconsistencies, errors, and strange interpretations. But I use it for all sorts of things: lists of characters, transcripts, plot summaries, spells, information about pretty much everything in Merlin canon... It's great.

**Merlin's Keep** , farfarawaysite.com: <http://www.farfarawaysite.com/merlin/index.html>

> This site has about a zillion photos of the Merlin episodes, with a screenshot of just about everything that was ever filmed. Very useful if you want to know what a tower looks like, or Arthur's mother's ring, or Tristan's wagon, and don't want to go and watch a whole episode.

**Wikipedia** : [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Arthurian_legend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Arthurian_legend)

> Wikipedia is super useful. I do notice that there are inconsistencies between entries, and I'm sure there is incorrect information. But since I'm writing fic and not a history thesis, I figure it doesn't matter that much!

**"The Legend of King Arthur"** , Nightbringer.se, : <https://www.nightbringer.se/a_arthurian.html>

> This site is one of my favourites. It's got a very extensive glossary of all things Arthurian, much more thorough than anything found on wikipedia. It includes alternate spellings of names, which sometimes, even with all the options, don't match the spelling on wikipedia or the Merlin wiki. It reminds me of all the complexities of the incarnations of the various characters through the centuries.

**Timeless Myths, Arthurian Legends** : <https://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/>

> Just a site I found myself occasionally consulting.

**King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table** : <https://kingarthursknights.com/arthurian-characters/>

> Another site I consulted at times.

**Arthurian legend baby names** : <https://www.babynameguide.com/categoryarthurian.asp?strCat=Arthurian-Legend>

> Want to name your ~~baby~~ character after someone from the Arthurian legend? Here's a place for you! I used this at first to pick names of the random throwaway characters that the story needed. So-and-so is a knight? Hey, let's throw him in. There are other Arthurian baby name sites that came up, but I liked this one best.

**MAP: Atlas of the Kingdoms of Albion, by Versaphile:** <https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453>

> See Chapter Five.


	5. The Map

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Map

**THE MAP**

[Versaphile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/versaphile/pseuds/versaphile) created [an amazing map](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453) that I've been using for _Frayed_. Actually, there are two maps and a lot of information which is useful for writing fanfic.

The first map is of the Kingdoms of Albion: <https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453/chapters/2069264>

The second map is of Camelot: <https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453/chapters/16736179>

There is a list of locations that accompanies the map of Camelot: <https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453/chapters/16412440>

From here on out, "the map" will refer to Versaphile's map.

Limitations of the map: The map is missing a few things, such as the Sarrum's kingdom of Amata, which was not mentioned canonically until Season Five. There are a few inconsistencies with spellings and names, as compared to the Merlin wiki. A lot of the kingdoms seem to be located based on history; others based on educated guesses. I didn't create it, so don't know what all went into it. But I make a lot of suppositions about where the names come from as I write about the various locations that appear (or don't appear) in _Frayed_.

A word of gratitude: I am very thankful that Versaphile created this map (especially since I might have been tempted to create my own, and that would have taken a huge amount of effort and not turned out nearly so well). I recommend everyone go and admire it and leave Versaphile glowing comments.


	6. Kingdoms of Southern Albion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kingdoms of Southern Albion

**CORNWALL**

[On the map,](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037453/chapters/2069264) Cornwall is Odin's kingdom. The Merlin wiki is inconsistent on this. First it says Odin's kingdom is on the shore, and [then it says it's Cornwall](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Odin). But there is a separate entry for "[Odin's kingdom](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Odin's_Kingdom)" that makes no reference to Cornwall. I think this is a similar case to Alined being king of Deorham. It's not canon, I don't think, but made it into the wiki because Versaphile's map is so thorough that people mistake it for canon (and then update the wiki with non-canonical info).

[Cornwall](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_cornwall.html), in Arthurian legend, was the home of both King Mark, Tristan's uncle, and Gorlois, Ygraine's first husband. I considered having Gorlois being the lord of Cornwall, but by the time I get King Mark and Odin in charge for their various reigns, there wasn't much room left for Gorlois. And since, in canon, he's such a good friend of Uther (because it's perfectly cool to sleep with your friend's wife and get him killed in battle), it made sense to have Gorlois be in Camelot.

The capital of Cornwall is Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. In Arthurian legend, [Gorlois](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorlois) tried to hide Ygraine at Tintagel. But Merlin helped Uther take on the appearance of Gorlois, go into [Tintagel](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_tintagil.html) Castle, and sleep with Ygraine under false pretenses, all while having his army kill Gorlois elsewhere.

In _Frayed_ , Isolde, being intended for Mark, King of Cornwall, runs away at Tintagel, which is where Tristan finds her.

One argument for Odin’s kingdom NOT being Cornwall is that Odin is a Germanic name, and historically, Cornwall and Devon held out against the incursions by the German Saxons as the British kingdom of [Dumnonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumnonia). It seems unlikely that Cornwall’s king would be named for a German deity. Though later on, the Vikings helped the Cornish fight against the Saxons of Wessex. They were defeated by the West Saxons in 838 at the [Battle of Hingston Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hingston_Down). Perhaps Odin could be a tribute to them, though that was several centuries past the time of Arthur.

* * *

**DEORHAM**

On the map, the kingdom to the west of Nemeth is Alined’s kingdom, which is called Deorham. The Merlin wiki says that [Alined](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Alined) is from Deorham, but I can find no evidence from the transcript. I wonder if whoever added that information to the wiki gained it from Versaphile’s map?

In history, I find no kingdom of Deorham, but instead a battle. [The Battle of Deorham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Deorham) was fought between West Saxons and Britons in 577 (after Arthur’s death), near the current town of Dyrham, which is located in Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire seems to be situated about where the kingdom of Deorham is placed on Versaphile’s map.

As far as Tristan's association to Deorham in Frayed...

In the legends of Tristan and Isolde, Tristan's kingdom was [Parmenie](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_parmenie.html) (in [Brittany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany)), or [Lyonesse](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_lyonesse.html), of which there is no historical evidence. There are two places called Leonais, one in Brittany and one in [Lothian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothian) (Scotland).

It has been proposed that Lyonesse was actually a kingdom next to Cornwall, but which had sunk under the water. The [Isles of Scilly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isles_of_Scilly) are the leftovers of this land. There are the remnants of a sunken forest under the sea, and evidence of rising water levels.

So, for Frayed, I needed Tristan to come from a place on Versaphile's map. Deorham is the kingdom next to Cornwall, just as Lyonesse was supposed to be, only to the east instead of the west. And Deorham is close to Brittany, as far as kingdoms of Albion go. So this location would fit well with other parts of the Tristan and Isolde legend, putting Tristan fairly close to Cornwall.

* * *

**ISLE OF MORA**

[The Isle of Mora](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Isle_of_Mora) is where the Merlin wiki claims [Lady Helen](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Helen) of Mora came from. It is supposedly an isle south of Camelot. I can find no evidence of Mora being an isle in the [transcript of the relevant episode](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Transcript:The_Dragon%27s_Call) (“The Dragon’s Call”), though. I wonder if I’m missing something, or if this is another instance of the wiki using Versaphile’s map as a source. On the map, the Isle of Mora is what today is the [Isle of Wight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Wight). Wikipedia says there was a [Jutish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jutes) kingdom formed there during the Anglo-Saxon invasion, but no reference to anything related to Helen or Mora.

[Looking up Mora, I found a connection to “mares”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_\(folklore\)):

> “A Mare (Old English: _mære_ , Old Dutch: _mare_ ; _mara_ in Old High German and Old Norse) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams (or "nightmares").
> 
> “In Croatian, _mora_ refers to a "nightmare". Mora or Mara is one of the spirits from ancient Slav mythology. Mara was a dark spirit that takes a form of a beautiful woman and then visits men in their dreams, torturing them with desire, and dragging life out of them. In Serbia, a mare is called _mora_ , or _noćnik/noćnica_ ("night creature).”

Even the witch’s name “Mary” brings on connotations of “mare” (mare-y!) and nightmare. Which is very apt considering how she sang everyone to sleep and tried to kill people (Arthur for sure, though you never know if she would have stopped there).

So! I love the idea that maybe that was planned, which could be, since so many other parts of the show were named after folklore, and not just British folklore. (Bastet, serket, Freya, Lamia, vilia, etc.)

Whether Mora is actually an isle is left unsolved, but since it is an isle on Versaphile’s map, that is what I will use if it comes up in _Frayed_. Whether it’s overrun with Saxons (Jutes) or not is another question entirely. My guess is yes, what with the Isle of Wight being a Jutish kingdom. (For simplicity, Jutes, Angles, and Saxons all get lumped together as Saxons.)

* * *

**KENT**

After Roman withdrawal from Britain, [Kent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent) became a kingdom settled by Germanic people, primarily the [Jutes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jutes). (In _Frayed_ , all Germanic tribes are lumped in together to be called Saxons, a known canon enemy, for the sake of convenience.) It is likely that these people had been invited by [Vortigern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortigern), a “king of the Britons” to settle in the area to live as mercenaries with the idea that they would help the Britons, who had been left weak after the Roman withdrawal, defend themselves from their [Pictish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picts) raiders from the north. This was maybe not the smartest move, as once established in Britain, the Germanic tribes were not content with the land allotted to them and tried to take over the whole island.

In legend, Vortigern is seduced by the Saxon leader Hengist’s daughter [Rowena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowena). He agrees to give Hengist anything he wants in order to marry her, and [Hengist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hengist_and_Horsa) asks for Kent. This allows the Saxons to strengthen their foothold in Britain, which becomes disastrous for the Britons.

While not mentioned in Merlin canon (although [Hengist](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Hengist) gets a role as a bandit warlord living along the Mercian border), Kent makes an appearance in Versaphile’s map in its correct geographical location. It is marked as Saxon-occupied, just to the east of Nemeth.

In _Frayed_ , Kent’s history follows close to the legend. Vortigern invited the Saxons to Britain to help defend against the Picts, got himself seduced by Rowena, and gave away Kent to the Saxons in order to marry her.

* * *

**NEMETH**

[Nemeth](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Nemeth) is the kingdom of King [Rodor](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Rodor) and Princess [Mithian](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Mithian). On Versaphile’s map, it is located to the south and east of Camelot. The two kingdoms disputed the land at [Gedref](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Gedref). In canon, Arthur grants this land to Mithian when he cancels his engagement to her. However, _Frayed_ branches off just before reaching that point.

I wanted to know where the name “Nemeth” came from, as it does not seem to be a name of any of the known kingdoms of Britain. My best guess was that it was named for [_nemeta_ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemeton)(singular _nemeton_ ), which were sacred spaces of ancient Celtic religion, generally in nature.

The word _nemed_ also means "privileged" or "holy" in Old Irish.[2] The reconstructed Proto-Celtic language root nemos means "sky" or "heaven". In the ancient Celtic religions across Europe, a nemeton was a place of worship (including temples, shrines and sacred natural places).

In canon, the [Great Stones of Nemeton](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Great_Stones_of_Nemeton) are standing stones similar to Stonehenge. Arthur visits them and uses the [Horn of Cathbhadh](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Horn_of_Cathbhadh) to open the doors to the Spirit World and talk to his dead father. The map locates these stones next to Nemeth, which I like, as that would give some rationale for the naming of the kingdom of Nemeth.

As a side note, I found that “Mithian” is the name of a [village in Cornwall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithian). This gives credence to the idea of Nemeth being to the south of Camelot, though since Cornwall is its own kingdom, Nemeth couldn’t be there. The “Names Throughout the Ages” webpage says[ the etymology of Mithian is unknown.](https://anameaday.wordpress.com/2019/10/17/mithian/)


	7. Kingdoms of Central Albion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kingdoms of Central Albion

ANGLIA

The kingdom of [East Anglia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_East_Anglia) was settled by the [Angles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angles) from Anglia in Germany. The Angles were one of the main Germanic peoples that settled in Great Britain in the post-Roman period, and the ones that gave rise to the name "England." (For the sake of simplicity, in _Frayed_ , Angles and Jutes are all classed together with the Saxons under the term “Saxons”.) After the invasion of Great Britain, the Angles split up and founded the kingdoms of Northumbria (originally Bernicia and Deira), East Anglia, and Mercia (originally Middle Anglia and Mercia).

The Merlin wiki lists Anglia as a kingdom of Albion, although I do not know what the source for this information is. The wiki also suggests, “Given the Nordic ancestry of her name, Freya (or her family) might have come from [Danelaw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danelaw) (East Anglia), which originated from Viking expansion.” But Norse mythology is included in Germanic mythology, and [Freya](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Freya) could be argued to come from any of the Germanic settlements, especially since the Saxons were present in Arthurian times and the Danelaw wasn’t until the 9th century.

* * *

CAMELOT

Home sweet home. For Arthur. Until it isn't. You know how these things go.

* * *

DYFED

To the north of Gwent/Gawant is the kingdom of [Dyfed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Dyfed), another Welsh kingdom. The Merlin wiki, in its entry about the [Kingdoms of Albion](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Albion), lists Dyfed as "Dyffed", but says nothing else about it.

In the _Mabinogion_ (Welsh mythology), Dyfed is the kingdom that was turned into a wasteland in the story of [Rhiannon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhiannon) and [Pwyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pwyll). In Frayed, Isolde tells this story as occurring on the [Plains of Denaria](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Plains_of_Denaria). This is done because in Merlin canon, the Plains of Denaria are already a wasteland. Plus we have the [Perilous Lands](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Perilous_Lands) as another wasteland (although it can be argued that after the death of the Fisher King, the land began to heal itself).

For simplification’s sake, Dyfed will probably just be an ally of Godwyn and follow his lead in whatever happens in _Frayed_.

* * *

ESSETIR

[Essetir/Escetir/Ascetir](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Essetir) is the kingdom of Merlin’s birth. When we first learn of it, its king is [Cenred](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Cenred) (though we all know Morgause was really in charge there). I can find no evidence of Essetir's existence in history or in Arthurian legend, but that might mean I just didn’t look hard enough.

The Merlin canon’s main entry is spelled “Essetir” but says that it can also be spelled “Escetir” and “Ascetir”. On the map, the kingdom is called Escetir. Ascetir refers to a region in Camelot that borders with Essetir. There is a Forest of Ascetir and a Ridge of Ascetir.

The Merlin wiki claims that the Forest of Ascetir is actually in Essetir, but oh well. The map is awesome and super useful, so in cases of discrepancy, we'll go with what the map says. Besides, borders between kingdoms can shift. We’ll just assume Camelot has been busy expanding. (Which it really ought to do more of, if Arthur is ever to be High King of all Albion.)

As far as whether Essetir (I might very well keep spelling it that way, despite the map) is filled with Saxons or not... They would certainly be knocking on the doors if not already invading. Essetir, being to the east of Camelot, would act as a buffer region between the Saxons of Anglia, Tir-Mor, and Kent. Since Essetir seems essentially made up for Merlin canon, I can just go with what the show says. And as far as I know, Morgana didn’t take her Saxons anywhere near Essetir.

After Cenred’s death, [King Lot](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Lot) takes over Essetir. Not much is known about him except that he doesn’t like strangers and likes to decorate his fortress with their heads. Also, he is no friend to the Pendragons. Or so Tristan tells us in “The Sword in the Stone.”

* * *

GAWANT

In Merlin canon, [Gawant](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Gawant) is the home of Uther’s ally [Lord Godwyn](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Godwyn). The map locates it next to Dyfed. I couldn’t find any indication of Gawant being real. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize the connection to the [Kingdom of Gwent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Gwent), which was situated right were Gawant is on the map. Gwent was an independent Welsh kingdom more or less from the time the Romans left until being overrun by the Norman invasion in 1070 or so.

(I am guessing that Gawant stole Gwaine’s missing “a”. Why should those names be Gwent and Gawain when we can change them up and confuse everyone?)

There is an iron age hill fort called [Kimsbury hill fort](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimsbury_hill_fort) which is also known as Castle Godwyn (among a few other names). It is situated very close to the borders of Gwent, if not inside of them. I like the idea (whether true or not) of this “Castle Godwyn” being the source of Lord Godwyn’s name. I especially like it since autocorrect and pretty much the entire internet wants me to spell the name Godwin (with an 'i') and there are very few examples that use the ‘y’ instead of the ‘i'.

* * *

GWYNEDD (CAERLEON)

Merlin canon names [Annis](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Annis)'s kingdom as [Caerleon](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Caerleon_\(kingdom\)), whereas the map names it Gwynedd. I prefer and use the name Gwynedd. It seemed confusing to have the kingdom have the same name as its king ([King Caerleon](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Caerleon) was the king Arthur killed at Agravaine’s insistence, causing a war between Camelot and Caerleon’s widow, Queen Annis). Using Gwynedd instead of Caerleon is a good way to avoid that.

Historically, [Caerleon was a city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caerleon) that served as the administrative center of Gwent. In Arthurian legend, Geoffrey of Monmouth elevates Caerleon to being one of the most important cities in Britain and makes it one of Arthur’s capitals. But it’s not a kingdom in its own right, and its historic location is in Gwent (Gawant), which is already ruled by Godwyn, not Annis.

Gwynedd was one of the Welsh kingdoms and keeps popping up in Arthurian stories and real history that I look at. As far as for _Frayed_ goes, I’m happy to have Annis be in charge of a Brythonic/Welsh kingdom that’s allied with Camelot and call it good.

* * *

MERCIA

Historically, [Mercia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercia) was, perhaps (according to the person cited on wikipedia, and we know people cited on wikipedia are _never_ wrong), the most successful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It was established in 527, which could have been around the time of the supposed end of Arthur’s life.

[Mercia in Merlin canon](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Mercia) does not seem to be Saxon, at least in that when the Saxons are invading with Morgana, no one ever says that Mercia had anything to do with them. So I wonder: who lives in Mercia in the Merlin canon-verse?

The leader of Mercia is [Lord Bayard](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Bayard). The name Bayard seems to be French, and most generally seems to refer to a [legendary horse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayard_\(legend\)). But the horse had connections to France, Italy, and Belgium, not to Britain. And then... I found a reference to a place called [Byard’s Leap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byards_Leap). There is a story about a horse named Byard that leaped over sixty feet. It is supposedly the same horse as Bayard.

So I wondered if this Byard might have something to do with the naming of Lord Bayard. Byard's Leap is in Lincolnshire, which was previously part of the [Kingdom of Lindsey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Lindsey). Looking into Lindsey, I find that it was under the alternating control of Northumbria and... wait for it... Mercia.

So what conclusions do I have? That Bayard was named for a blind and/or magical horse? That despite the general trend that Mercia ought to be Saxon, at the time of Merlin canon it wasn’t? But in that case, it would need to be holding off incursions from the Saxons in Anglia to the southeast and from Deira to the north. And there could be incursions from the sea to the kingdom’s east.

* * *

TIR-MOR

The Merlin wiki tells me[ Tír-Mór](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/T%C3%ADr-M%C3%B2r) is Gaelic for "mainland.” The internet tells me that in Welsh, Tír Mór translates as ‘sea land’. Or in Irish, mór translates to ‘great, big’ and tír translates to ‘land, territory’. 

In the real world, the only place I can find that migh be Tír-Mór is a place in the [Hebrides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrides) (an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland). I found photos of [emigrants from a “Tir Mor”](https://www.hebrideanconnections.com/image-details/83279) in the Hebrides who went to Canada, and [Facebook evidence](https://www.facebook.com/BerneraCommunityAssociation/photos/the-very-popular-great-bernera-tir-mor-leaflet-is-being-updated-to-be-reprinted-/1626426727453214/) that it is a place that exists.

As the Hebrides are a long way from Camelot, I'm good with assuming that Tír-Mór in Merlin canon is somewhere around where the map places it, to the east of Camelot.

In Merlin canon, Tír-Mór is the country [Sophia](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Sophia) and [Aulfric](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Aulfric) pretend to be from. Aulfric claims his home was sacked by raiders. Since Versaphile has marked Tír-Mór as Saxon-occupied land, it’s pretty easy to assume the raiders were Saxons doing their invading-from-the-east thing. Since Aulfric and Sophia were really [Sidhe](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Sidhe), it’s completely possible their story was entirely fabricated. But I suspect it has at least some basis in reality, or Uther wouldn’t have believed it. Uther tells Aulfric that “these are dangerous times.” If the Britons are facing invasion from the Saxons in the east, that would fit right in with this.


	8. Arthur's (Unimportant) Knights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur's (Unimportant) Knights

Because a story as long as _Frayed_ needs a few more knights than Gwaine and Co. (I rather imagine Leon might prefer he’d been left out of this story, but that’s the price of replacing Sir Geraint). I try not to make up characters unless I have to, so after scouring the Merlin wiki, we find the following bit players ready for their two sentences in the spotlight:

Brennis  
Cador  
Caradoc  
Geraint  
Ranulf  
Vidor

Throughout the appendices I am trying to organize information about characters and places based on Merlin canon, Frayed, Arthurian legend, and real history.

Without further ado, here is info about the following knights:

* * *

**SIR BRENNIS**

_Merlin_ canon: In "A Herald of the New Age,” we learn that [Sir Brennis broke his wrist](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Brennis) during an arm-wrestling match with Sir Percival. Elyan thought the match sounded fun; Gwaine replied, “Not for Sir Brennis.” Poor guy. If I had an arm-wrestling match with Percival, he’d break my whole arm. And maybe my back, too.

 _Frayed_ : Brennis is running around as an active Knight of Camelot. He’s very good at forgiving knights who break his wrist as well as infusing panic into his voice when announcing, “The enemy is upon us!” When not panicking, he enjoys a good dance around the bonfire.

Arthurian legend: I find no Sir Brennis in Arthurian legend, although there is a Gallic king named [Brennus/Brennius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennus_\(4th_century_BC\)) who conquered Rome. Geoffrey of Monmouth expanded the story to include [Brennus fighting against his brother](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_brennius.html) for the throne of Britain and losing. This supposedly happened many centuries before Arthur, which makes the connection to our Sir Brennis a bit tenuous.

History: Brennus (c. 390 BCE) was the Gallic war chief of the Senones who sacked and occupied Rome in 390 BCE. This was the only time in 800 years the city was conquered by a non-Roman army before the fall of the city to the Visigoths in 410 AD. Audacious.

* * *

**SIR CADOR**

_Merlin_ canon: In "The Poisoned Chalice,” [Sir Cador was a high-ranking knight](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Cador) who planned for the Camelot cavalry to attack Mercia. He got two whole lines of dialog! Of course, one was just “sire,” but that’s much better than Brennis or Ranulf or Caradoc or Vidor got.

 _Frayed_ : Cador takes over in Leon’s absence. He enjoys calling retreats, knocking people out, and pretending to be a merchant.

Arthurian legend: [Cador](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cador) was a ruler of Cornwall and Knight of the Round Table who helped Arthur fight against the Saxons. He was father to Arthur's successor Constantine, raised Guinevere as his ward, and was killed fighting Mordred's army at Camlann.

History: Wikipedia claims that, “Cado was the historical son of a Dumnonian king named Gerren whom he succeeded as monarch.” (I have to say that it seems rather tricky to know what is real history, what is pseudohistory, and what is pure invention.)

* * *

**SIR CARADOC**

_Merlin_ canon: In "The Sins of the Father", [Sir Caradoc is knighted by King Uther](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Caridoc). That’s all we ever see of him. The Merlin wiki entry spells his name “Caridoc”, but when Uther says his name in the transcript, it’s written “Caradoc.” As you know, Uther is always right. (Also “Caradoc” is the preferred spelling in other resources.)

 _Frayed_ : Caradoc can be seen running around with Vidor gathering up knights to organize a defense of the city.

Arthurian legend: [Caradoc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caradoc) was said to have been a knight under Uther who rebelled against Arthur when Arthur took the throne, although they eventually reconciled. There’s a long tale (involving sex with farm animals!) that eventually ends with a sorcerer who summons a snake that entwines around Caradoc’s arm and drains his life energy away. It reminds me of the Eye of the Phoenix in the Merlin episode 3x8, which drained Arthur’s life energy away. Caradoc is saved (by a pretty girl sitting in a vat of milk with her breasts exposed!) but his arm is damaged and he’s left with the nickname “Short Arm.” The poor girl—[Guinier](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_guignier.html), Cador’s sister—had her nipple bitten off by the snake, but eventually got it replaced with a magical gold nipple, so yay? And Guinier and Caradoc get married and live happily ever after, so double yay?

History: Wikipedia tells me that “some archaeologists interpret Caradog Freichfras as a plausible historical figure, also known as Caradoc ap Ynyr, who may have been the ruler of Gwent around the 6th century, and was based at Caerwent.” (Now I think Sir Caradoc could be a relation of Lord Godwyn, who sent his kinsman to Camelot to learn to be a knight... watch the plot bunnies hop around in my head.)

* * *

**SIR GERAINT**

_Merlin_ canon: In "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan,” [Geraint organised Camelot’s defense](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Geraint) in Athur’s absence. He was Arthur’s second-in-command, but his role was taken over by Sir Leon in the next episode. I thought I had read in the Merlin wiki that he had died in that episode, but when rechecking, it says Geraint just never appeared again.

 _Frayed_ : Leon credits Geraint’s death fighting Sigan's gargoyles as the reason he was promoted to First Knight. At least this way he gets an honourable death. (Leon probably wishes he could be so lucky.)

Arthurian legend/History: It’s hard to figure out what’s legend and what’s history. [Geraint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraint) may have been a Dumnonian king who died fighting against the Saxons with Arthur. He was the protagonist of Geraint and Enid, in which he becomes the lover of [Enid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enide). (In the brief summary I see of that, he treats her rather poorly, questioning her love, forbidding her to speak to him, and making her accompany him on a long and dangerous journey. Ah, don't women get the best treatment in these stories?

* * *

**SIR RANULF**

_Merlin_ canon: [Sir Ranulf is killed by Osgar](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Ranulf) in "The Disir." Arthur remembers him as a loyal and true knight.

 _Frayed_ : Since Frayed occurs before the fifth season, the loyal and true Sir Ranulf is still alive and gets a very important role announcing that Cador called a retreat.

Arthurian legend: Ranulf seems to be a made-up character. I find no counterpart for him in Arthurian legend.

History: [Ranulf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranulf) is an English version of an old Norse name that means “advice” or “decision” (and also “the gods”) plus “wolf”. So... I guess my advice for you is to make the decision to avoid the wolf... unless you want to meet the gods sooner than later.

* * *

**SIR VIDOR**

_Merlin_ canon: [Vidor was knighted by Uther](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Vidor) at the same time as Sir Caradoc at the beginning of "The Sins of the Father."

 _Frayed_ : He gets a slightly larger role doing his knightly thing and saving people.

Arthurian legend: Like Ranulf, Vidor seems to be made-up.

History: Apparently [Vidor](https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/vidor/) is a Hungarian name meaning “victorious.” Or a Latin name meaning “conqueror”. That’s as good a name for a made-up knight as any.


	9. Arthurian OCs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Named original characters based off of Arthurian legend

Original characters based off of Arthurian legend (at least a little bit)

(These characters appear in many versions of many stories. Any tales told here are greatly simplified and won’t encompass all the sources.)

* * *

AAMANZ

In _Frayed_ : The highest-ranking Southron remaining after Helios's death. Promoted by Morgana to lead the Southron Army--as long as he doesn't screw it up.

In Arthurian legend: [Aamanz](https://nightbringer.se/a_aamanz.html) was known as "the other Gawain" due to his resemblance to Sir Gawain. He refused to surrender after losing a fight with Gawain, so Gawain turned him over to Aamanz's enemies (one of whom had killed his brother). They beheaded him and brought his head to Arthur's Court, representing it as Gawain's. This caused great distress.

* * *

ALDROENUS

In _Frayed_ : Uther’s uncle, a king in Brittany. He provided refuge for Uther after Vortigern had his father killed.

In Arthurian legend: [Aldroenus](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_aldroenus.html) was king of [Armorica](https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/ArmoricaHighKings.htm). The Britons—specifically Guethelin, the Archbishop of London in the fifth century—asked him to come and be their king and defend them against the barbarians, but he refused. Instead he sent his brother Constantine. (As for Guethelin, after the land was pacified by Constantine, Guethelin raised two of Constantine’s children, Ambrosius Aurelius and Uther Pendragon.)

In history: Armorica was the name of a part of Gaul that included the Brittany peninsula. There was established trade between Armorica and Cornwall. In the 5th-7th centuries, Britons from Britain settled there, possibly as refugees. As for King Aldroenus, I find several names for him (Aldrien, Aldron, Aldroen, Aldwr) and “legendary” history, mostly of him [denying the crown of Britain](http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/aldrieby.html), but nothing definitive as to his actual existence.

* * *

ANGUISH OF IRELAND

In _Frayed_ : Anguish of Ireland is Isolde's father.

In Arthurian Legend: [Anguish](https://nightbringer.se/a_anguish.html) was the King of Ireland. He was one of the eleven rebel kings at the beginning of Arthur's reign. He was married to Queen Isolde and was the father of Isolde the Fair, who serves as a principal character in the legends of Tristan and Isolde. King Mark of Cornwall owed tribute to Anguish. When Mark refused to pay, Anguish sent his champion Morholt to challenge Mark's champion, his nephew Tristan. Tristan killed Morholt but was wounded. He went to Anguish's court in disguise to be healed and became friends with Anguish. When Tristan's deception was uncovered, Anguish pardoned him. When Tristan came back later to ask for Isolde's hand for King Mark, Anguish was disappointed Tristan had not asked for her himself. Anguish had had a dream portending their steamy affair, but sent Isolde to marry Mark anyway.

In history: [Anguish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguish_of_Ireland) has been connected to the historical King of Munster [Óengus mac Nad Froích](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93engus_mac_Nad_Fro%C3%ADch), who lived in the middle of the fifth century. He was a devout Christian. Saint Patrick baptized him in blood by driving his crozier through the king's foot. Óengus was slain in battle in 489.

* * *

BLANCHEFLEUR

In _Frayed_ : Blanchefleur is Tristan’s mother. She died of a broken heart shortly after her son was born.

In Arthurian legend:[ Blanchefleur/Blancheflor](https://nightbringer.se/a_blancheflor.html) (later replaced by Isabel/Elyabel/Elizabeth/etc.) is Tristan’s mother and sister to King Mark of Cornwall. She fell in love with King Rivalen of Parmenie when he was visiting Cornwall to help Mark fight his Irish enemies. When Rivalen returned to his home to reclaim his land from Duke Morgan, who had stolen it in his absence, Blanchefleur went with him. Rivalen died in battle, killed by Morgan. Blanchefleur gave birth to a son, called him Tristan, and then died of a broken heart (or of childbirth, thought that's much less romantic).

* * *

BRANGAINE

In _Frayed_ : “Brangaine” is the name Isolde calls Gwen when trying to conceal Gwen’s identity by claiming her as a slave girl.

In Arthurian legend: [Brangaine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brangaine) is Isolde of Ireland’s handmaid and confidante. Isolde’s mother, Queen Isolde, entrusts Brangaine with a love potion for Isolde and King Mark to drink the night they are married. But Isolde and Tristan find the potion on the boat ride from Ireland to Cornwall, drink it, and fall madly in love.

On Isolde’s wedding night to King Mark, Brangaine substitutes for Isolde in the wedding bed to cover up for Isolde’s lack of virginity. Later, afraid that Brangaine will reveal her secret, Isolde has her servants take Brangaine to the forest to be killed. How’s that for gratitude?

The servants don’t have the heart to kill her and instead tie Brangaine to a tree. Isolde comes to her senses, is overjoyed to learn her maid isn’t dead, rescues her, and apologises. If I were Brangaine, I’m not sure I’d want to accept that apology.

* * *

CONSTANTINE

In _Frayed_ : Uther’s father. After the Romans left, Constantine claimed the throne of Camelot based on the claim that he was a descendent of Bruta, Camelot’s first king. He was poisoned by Vortigern, a traitor in the court. (For the sake of simplicity, this Constantine only had the one son.)

In Arthurian legend: Constantine was a prince from [Armorica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armorica), an offshoot British kingdom in Gaul. In the wake of the Roman withdrawal, he was invited to come to Britain to organise a defense against marauding barbarians. He was successful and rewarded with the crown. (Well, his brother Aldroenus had been offered Britain first, but he refused. If he'd said yes, maybe he would have an actual wikipedia entry just like his little brother Constantine, and not just a dead link for his name.)

Constantine had three sons: [Constans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constans_II_\(son_of_Constantine_III\)), [Ambrosius Aurelius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrosius_Aurelianus), and Uther. Constantine is stabbed to death by a traitor in his court, either a PIct or Vortigern himself. Constans is made king, but is nothing more than Vortigerns’ puppet. Vortigern poisons him, and Ambrosius Aurelius and [Uther](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uther_Pendragon), who are both still children, escape to Brittany.

In history: [Constantine III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_III_\(Western_Roman_Emperor\)) was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in Britannia in 407. He rose to power when the Roman military in Britain revolted and chose their own leader. They needed strong military leadership to protect them from Germanic invasions. The first two choices did not meet expectations and were killed. Next they chose Constantine, a common but talented soldier. He was acclaimed emperor by the local legions. He moved to Gaul, taking all the mobile troops of Britain, and confronted the Germanic invaders who had crossed the Rhine. He battled with the forces of the true Western Roman Emperor Honorius, leading Honorius to recognise Constantine as co-emperor in 409.

He left Britain nearly defenseless and eroded his support. Some of his commanders deserted and he suffered military setbacks. He abdicated and was executed shortly after.

* * *

CYNFARCH

In _Frayed_ : Cynfarch is Leon’s dad. He served Uther’s father, King Constantine, helping to defend their people against attacks from the Picts and Gaels. He was descended from a Roman general who had married into the royal family of Rheged.

Cynfarch suspected that Vortigern was a traitor in Constantine’s court, but had no proof. He was unable to prevent Constantine from being poisoned, but he saved Uther and snuck him to Brittany where his Uncle Aldroenus reigned.

Cynfarch became one of Uther’s most trusted advisors in Brittany. He was killed helping Uther reclaim Camelot.

In Arthurian legend: Cynfarch was a king of Gore (a mythical place in Arthurian legend) and Rheged and father to [Urien](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urien). Urien is notable for being the husband of Morgan le Fay and fathering twins [Ywain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ywain) (Yvaine/Ywain/Owaine) and [Morfudd/Morfydd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morfydd). He joined in the first rebellion against Arthur but did not participate in the second. He was reconciled with Arthur and made part of the Round Table. Morgan eventually attempts to kill Arthur but fails. Instead she attempts to kill her husband Urien, but their son Ywain stops her. Morgan leaves the royal court and likely never met her husband again.

In history:[ Cynfarch Oer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynfarch_Oer) (“Cynfarch the Dismal/Unwelcoming/Cold”) probably ruled Rheged in the sixth-century. He was the son of Meirchion Gul and the father of Urien Rheged. He may have been a participant in the Battle of Arfderydd in 573. Not much else is known.

* * *

ELIZABETH

In _Frayed_ : Tristan’s foster-sister; she may or may not have been a sorceress; burned at the stake.

In Arthurian legend: Elizabeth is one of the alternate names of Tristan’s mother. See the entry on Blanchefleur from more information on her.

* * *

FLORAETE

In Frayed: Tristan’s foster-mother. She may or may not ever be mentioned.

In Arthurian legend: [Rual’s wife](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_floraete.html). In order to protect the infant Tristan from Duke Morgan, she went into seclusion to pretend that she had given birth to the child. (There may be another story about how she tried to poison Tristan as a child so that her own children could inherit Tristan’s kingdom. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of saving him in the first place?)

* * *

JOHFRIT

In _Frayed_ : Johfrit is one of Nemeth’s guards. He’s a bit on the protective side, especially where Mithian is concerned.

In Arthurian legend:[ Johfrit/Johfritz](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_johfritz.html) befriended Lancelot shortly after he arrived in the world of men (he was raised on an enchanted island). He taught him how to ride a horse and gave him lodging.

* * *

LUNED

In _Frayed_ : Luned is a ladies’ maid who serves Morgana when called. She is also a sorceress of some minimal power.

In Arthurian legend: [Luned/Lunete/Lunet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunete) was the handmaiden and advisor to [Laudine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudine), the Lady of the Fountain. She convinces her mistress to accept [Ywain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ywain)’s hand in marriage. When the lovers have a falling out (Ywain fails to return to Laudine after a year), Luned falls out of favour. Eventually she is accused of treason and sentenced to burn. However, Ywain returns to rescue her. Luned then helps Ywain and Laudine reconcile.

* * *

MABON

In _Frayed_ : Sir Mabon is King Rodor’s first knight. He recognises Arthur’s superior skill and defers to him.

In Arthurian legend: [Mabon ap Modron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabon_ap_Modron) was the son of Modron and a member of Arthur’s war band. One story is that Mabon was kidnapped when three days old and rescued by Arthur’s men in the tale of [Culhwch and Olwen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culhwch_and_Olwen). Elsewhere, Mabon (probably different versions of the same character) is described as a “servant to Uther Pendragon” and had “stained the grass with blood.” He fights alongside Arthur at the [Battle of Badon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Badon) and is one of the king’s chief advisors.

* * *

MARK

In _Frayed_ : ???

In Arthurian legend: [Mark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_of_Cornwall) was the king of Cornwall and Tristan’s uncle. I found a lot of material about him, and it seems his character as a human being degraded over time with the different retellings. There are many tales of his villainy. One story tells of how he rapes his niece Ladiana and then locks her up when she gets pregnant. He murders her after she delivers his son, Meraugis. The baby is left hanging in the woods, where he is rescued by a forester who raises him. Eventually Meraugis becomes a member of the Round Table.

King Mark is a major character in the legend of Tristan and Isolde. He is engaged to Isolde and sends his nephew Tristan to Ireland to fetch her. Tristan and Isolde drink a love potion meant for Mark and Isolde and fall madly in love. Isolde still marries Mark, and a love triangle ensues. Many versions of the tale end with Mark slaying Tristan.

There is also a tale that Mark has horse or donkey ears, which reminds me of Arthur and his [silly ears](http://www.farfarawaysite.com/merlin/season3/3003/762.jpg) (click to see a photo) in "[Goblin's Gold](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Goblin%27s_Gold)".

In history: King Mark was—possibly—a king of Cornwall (Dumnonia) in the early sixth century. He was listed in Old Welsh records as “March son of Meirchiorf” and variously associated with North Wales, South Wales, or South-West Scotland. He may be the same as King Conomor of Dumnonia, as in one writing there is a reference to a “King Marc whose other name is Quonomorus.”

* * *

MELWAS

In _Frayed_ : Melwas is a weak, freckle-faced guard of Camelot. He proves easily bribable. (Very astute readers might notice that the name of this character was changed from its original version, as it was too close to the name of one of Arthur's knights and might have caused confusion.)

In Arthurian legend: [Melwas](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_melwas.html) (later, [Maleagant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleagant)) was the King of the Summer Region, possibly Somerset. He abducted Guinevere and took her to Glastonbury. Arthur was unable to secure her release, and[ St. Gildas](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_gildas.html) and the abbot of Glastonbury intervened to convince Melwas to free her.

The name Melwas has been translated as “prince of death,’ “young prince,” and “noble pig.” I’m most fond of the last one, myself. Though “Freckle-Face” will have to suffice (for now).

* * *

NUDD

In _Frayed_ : Nudd is a knight of Nemeth bested by Gwen during weapons training.

In Arthurian legend: [Nudd (or Lludd) Llaw Ereint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lludd_Llaw_Eraint) was the father of [Gwyn ap Nudd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwyn_ap_Nudd) (whose name can also be shortened to Nudd) and[ Edern ap Nudd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edern_ap_Nudd), who both became Arthur’s knights. Nudd was a ruler of Britain who asked his brother [Llefylys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llefelys), ruler of Gaul, to rid Britain of three plagues afflicting the kingdom.

Nudd’s daughter [Creiddylad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creiddylad) was considered to be the most beautiful girl in Britain. She was loved by two of Arthur’s warriors, Gwythyr and her own brother, Gwyn. Gwythyr kidnaps her from her father Nudd’s house and then Gwyn kidnaps her from Gwythyr. Arthur intervenes and they arrange for Creiddylad to return to her father’s home. Every May Day, Gwyn and Gwythyr engage in single combat for her hand. She is to remain with her father unmarried until the final battle on Judgement Day, which will determine who keeps her forever.

They compare her to Persephone who was abducted by Hades, reunited with her mother, and forced to return every year, causing the seasons. Or it might be a version of the Holly King myth signifying the battle between summer and winter.

I hope so, because I feel sorry for the poor girl!

(Don’t you love how women are possessions to be fought over? Great, huh? Though there was the story of Guinevere and [Lanval](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanval). A fairy claims him as her lover but swears him to secrecy. Guinevere makes advances on Lanval at court, but he rejects her. She accuses him of homosexuality, which is what women did when men weren’t open about affairs with their mistresses. It all goes downhill for poor Lanval until at trial his fairy lady comes and proves her love. This story is significant in that the women in the story have more agency. Usually women in Arthurian texts are unnamed and their only relevance is beauty (e.g. poor Creiddylad). In Lanval’s story, the fairy and Guinevere both take actions that drive the plot and who make advances upon him. They assert control based upon their own sexual desires. (This will come up again in the tale of Rhiannon.) Guinevere portrays the evil seductress ruled by passion, but the fairy lady reverses the stereotype of women characters being weak in appearance, motive, and action.

(I have endeavoured to make the women in _Frayed_ have agency and purpose, despite the fact that the story’s main characters are men. But that’s another discussion.)

One more thing of interest to me about Nudd’s daughter Creiddylad is how her own brother was one of the men who fought over her. Seems like a precedent for the relationship between Ygraine and Agravaine in _Frayed_.

* * *

RHIANNON

In Welsh mythology: [Rhiannon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhiannon) was an [Otherworld](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Otherworld) woman, perhaps a goddess. She is betrothed to [Gwawl ap Clud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwawl), but prefers to marry [Pwyll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pwyll), the prince of Dyfed. Shenanigans ensue. Essentially Gwawl tricks Pwyll into giving him Rhiannon, and then Rhiannon and Pwyll trick Gwawl into giving Rhiannon back. (If this is the treatment that goddess get, or at the very least, “strong-minded Otherworld” women, think about what happens to the average lady of the times.)

In the process of tricking Gwawl, Pwyll and Rhiannon humiliate him. To save his life, Gwawl gives up Rhiannon and also any form of revenge.

All good, right? Let’s just skip the part of the story where Rhiannon is accused of eating her infant child and is then punished by sitting at the castle gate every day, forced to tell her story to travelers and then offer to carry them on her back like a beast of burden.

Years later, after Pwyll has died, after Rhiannon’s supposedly cannibalised child [Pryderi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pryderi) is all grown up (albeit done at a superhuman pace) and the ruler of Dyfed, after Rhiannon has remarried, the magician [Llwyd ap Cil Coed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llwyd_ap_Cil_Coed) takes revenge on behalf of his friend Gwawl. Long memories, yeah? Thunder and magical mist descend on the land. It is left empty of all domesticated animals and humans, apart from the story’s protagonists. Dyfed becomes a wasteland. Eventually Llwyd imprisons Rhiannon and Pryderi and Rhiannon’s second husband saves them in some manner that involves negotiating with a pregnant mouse. Because hey, why not? (The mouse is Llwyd’s wife magically transformed, so it makes more sense, honest. As much as any of these things make sense.)

Dyfed is restored and all is well. Happy ending. Yay!

In _Frayed_ : The tale of Rhiannon is known to Tristan and Isolde, and most likely to many others. (Though apparently not to Gwen, so I guess it’s not part of the Camelot mythos.) For the sake of simplicity, I use the Plains of Denaria instead of Dyfed as the wasteland. Although wastelands are apparently a theme in Arthurian literature, I can’t imagine that they are everywhere. We already have the Perilous Lands. And Merlin canon tells us that the Plains of Denaria are a wasteland. Check it out. Since the Plains of Denaria are located close to Dyfed, it doesn’t even seem that much of a stretch to use them instead of Dyfed. And since Isolde doesn’t know whether the tale of Rhiannon is true or not. In the context of Frayed, it might be a fable, it might have actually happened. So it makes sense that the storytellers would use the actual wasteland (Plains of Denaria) for the plot.

* * *

RIVALEN

In _Frayed_ : We will find that this was Tristan’s father’s name.

In Arthurian legend: [Rivalen/Rivalin](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_rivalin.html) (in later versions, Meliodas) was Tristan’s father. He was king of [Lyonesse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyonesse) or [Parmenie](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_parmenie.html) (depending on the version) and served as a vassal to King Mark of Cornwall. Or perhaps to Duke Morgan of Brittany. There are so many versions! The important thing is that Duke Morgan and Rivalen warred with each other.

There was a truce, and Rivalen went to Cornwall to help King Mark fight against his Irish enemies. He fell in love with Mark’s sister Blanchefleur. When Rivalen was injured in battle, Blanchefleur’s presence revived him. Because love heals all, yeah? Rivalen and Blanchefleur got married.

While Rivalen was gone from his kingdom, Duke Morgan took it over. So Rivalen and Blanchefleur (now pregnant) return to Parmenie/Lyonesse to get it back. But alas, their happy ending is not to be. Morgan kills Rivalen and takes over the kingdom, although it is Tristan’s by birthriight. Blanchefleur gives birth to Tristan and then dies, perhaps of a broken heart. (Too bad Uther didn’t die of a broken heart after Ygraine’s death. That would have saved sorcerers a lot of misery.)

* * *

RUAL

In _Frayed_ : Rual is Tristan’s foster-father, who may or may not have his backstory filled in.

In Arthurian legend: [Rual](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_rual.html) (Rohand, Roaldur, etc) was Rivalen’s steward. After Rivalen and Blanchefleur died, Rivalen took thier infant son Tristan to raise as his own child. To protect Tristan from the vengeful Duke Morgan, Rual had his wife [Floraete](https://www.nightbringer.se/a_floraete.html) go into seclusion for a time, as if pregnant. After, she emerged with Tristan, pretending she had given birth to him.

* * *

VORTIGERN

In _Frayed_ : Vortigern was as a traitor in Constantine’s court. He poisoned Constantine and seized command of Camelot.

In Arthurian legend: [Vortigern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortigern) conspired to have Constantine killed, used Constantine’s son Constans as a puppet, and then managed to get him killed too. He took over as ruler and invited the Saxons to settle in Britain as mercenaries to help fight against the raiding Picts. The Saxon leader [Hengist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hengist_and_Horsa) had his daughter [Rowena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowena) seduce Vortigern when he was drunk, and Vortigern promised to give Hengist Kent if he could marry Rowena.

Vortigern was involved in the story of the [Treachery of the Long Knives](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treachery_of_the_Long_Knives). There was a banquet held to arrange a peace treaty between the Britons and the Saxons (possibly the cessation of lands to the Saxons for Vortigern’s marriage to Rowena). But the Saxons brought knives and at a given command, they killed all the Britons saving Vortigern and one man who escaped. Vortigern was spared because Hengist’s daughter Rowena had affection for him.

Vortigern is associated with the legend of [Dynas Emrys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinas_Emrys). He fled into Wales to escape the Saxons and wanted to build a castle on the hill Dynas Emrys. Every night the work that was finished the day prior collapsed. Vortigern is told to find a boy not conceived by mortal man. His soldiers find [Merlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin). Vortigern was going to kill the boy to appease the supernatural powers. But Merlin told him that the castle wouldn’t stand because there was a hidden pool where two dragons were fighting. The [White Dragon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_dragon) of the Saxons, though currently winning, would soon be defeated by the [Welsh Red Dragon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Dragon). However, it is assumed that this legend was a local tale that replaced an original character with Vortigern, as Vortigern had no association with that part of Wales.

In history: Vortigern’s existence is contested. He may have invited the Saxon brothers Hengist and Horsa to Britain to help fight the Picts and the Scots. Hengist and Horsa may have revolted, killed Vortigern’s son, and formed the Kingdom of Kent. Or maybe not. Whether he was real or not, he is often blamed for the loss of Britain to the Saxons.

* * *

YWAIN

In _Frayed_ : ?

In Arthurian legend: [Ywain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ywain) (Yvain, Owain, Uwain, Ewaine, etc.) was a knight of the Round Table, the son of [Morgan le Fey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_le_Fay) and King [Urien](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urien) of [Rheged](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheged)/Gore.

He seems most known for the story[ Yvain, the Knight of the Lion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvain,_the_Knight_of_the_Lion). He seeks to avenge a cousin, defeats the knight Esclados, and falls in love with Esclados’ widow Laudine. Laudine’s servant Luned/Lunete helps them get together. And then there are shananigans, but eventually the lovers end up happy together.

Another story is that at Camelot, Ywain found his mother Morgan le Fey about to slay his sleeping father, King Urien. Ywain prevented her, exclaiming,

_“Ah... men saith that Merlin was begotten of a devil, but I may say an earthly devil bare me.”_

This fits with the tradition that Merlin was a [cambion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambion), sired by an [incubus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubus) (from whom he inherited his powers) and born of a mortal woman.

In history: Ywain was based off the historical [Owain mab Urien](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owain_mab_Urien), a king of Rheged during the late sixth century. Owain fought with his father Urien against the Angles of Bernicia. The main references to Owain come from the poems of [Taliesin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliesin), who served as his father’s bard. After his father’s death, he inherited Rheged but was set upon by British neighbours. He was slain in battle, causing the end of Rheged’s power. He is supposedly the father of St. [Kentigern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Mungo) (a.k.a. Mungo, of [Harry Potter hospital](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Places_in_Harry_Potter#St_Mungo's_Hospital_for_Magical_Maladies_and_Injuries) fame).


	10. Named, non-Arthurian OCs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minor original characters, non-Arthurian

**MINOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, NON-ARTHURIAN**

Ann: daughter of one of Uther's senior knights; wants to marry well; likes to gossip

Alfred: Agravaine’s manservant. That by itself is enough to condemn him to the naughty corner.

Bertha: Boris’s assistant. She has grey hair, a dark blue dress, and more sense than her master.

Boris: Nemeth's physician; Gwaine would be happy to give him “a little talkin’ to.”

Droopy Face: the leader of some bad guys and a grade A scumbag.

Grubby Fingers: a door manager at the brothel, prone to filthiness, inebriation, and bribery.

John: Mary’s husband, nervous new dad, and all-around nice guy

Joseph: a wounded soldier in the Nemeth infirmary who refused to croak off in the night like he was supposed to.

Mary: pregnant woman who has a difficult delivery (though aren’t they all?); John’s wife.

Matilda: the butcher's daughter; had a thing with Elyan; likes to gossip

Not-Percival: a good guy working for the wrong team.

Rion: one of three apprentices in the Nemeth infirmary; apparently lacks both a sense of humour and proper knowledge of how to grind herbs.

Robert: Hunith's courageous and helpful neighbour.

Rose: Mithian's couragous and helpful maid.

Simon: one of Camelot’s couragous and helpful guardsmen.

Susan: Robert’s wife, who may have been courageous and helpful but never got the chance to prove it.

Tilda: a barmaid with large jugs... of ale. Jugs of ale. Yes. (Whoops, my dictionary tells me jugs is a North American term. So much for the attempt at British English!)

Tom: a kennel boy who prefers getting his work done to getting into trouble


	11. The Triple Goddess

**THE TRIPLE GODDESS**

_Merlin_ TV canon only mentions one deity, [the Triple Goddess](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Triple_Goddess), though she is referred to by multiple names. (At least the _Merlin_ TV wiki claims they are all manifestations of the Triple Goddess, though I’m not sure that the show’s actual transcripts support this conclusion.)

But there must be many other deities in the _Merlin_ universe, as characters in the show refer to “the gods” all the time. This conclusion would fall in line with the fact that the historical Celts were [polytheistic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Celtic_religion), having developed a[ whole slew of gods and goddesses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Celtic_deities) in different variations as their peoples migrated into new lands.

Muddled Mythology

Very little is known with much certainty about the Celtic religion.

The[ Celtic people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts) originally covered much of Europe and eventually spread to the British Isles. Because of the expanding Roman Empire and migrating Germanic tribes, Celtic culture became restricted to Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Britanny.

Because the Celtic people were spread out over very large areas, over many centuries, manifestations of their culture and religion varied greatly. The expanding Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity both contributed to the alteration and obfuscation of the Celtic myths.

The Romans, as they conquered new lands, [coordinated the local deities with the Roman god](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_deities)s, and Celtic practices began to display elements of Romanization. Because of this, certain deities can be compared to or exchanged with Roman versions of them (which isn’t confusing at all!).

The stories of the gods also gets muddied because[ many myths were later Christianized](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization_of_saints_and_feasts#Christianization_of_saints). This makes it difficult to determine if mythological characters were originally gods, fictional mortals, or true historical figures. A fair number of early Christian saints were [Celtic deities first](http://www.articleseen.com/Article_pagan-gods-and-goddesses-worshipped-as-christian-saints_85176.aspx).

Perhaps all the confusion and lack of knowledge is just permission for disrespectful authors (like me) to take whatever they want and use it however they like. As I look through the mythologies for material, as much as possible I want to first use the Welsh deity, and then perhaps other Celtic deities (e.g. those of Ireland) and then resort to other sources (Roman, Germanic, etc.), like the show did this with characters such as Freya, Odin, and Gaius.

(Not that I know what I’m doing, really, but at least I’m trying!)

The Triple Goddess in Merlin canon

The _Merlin_ wiki considers the [Triple Goddess](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Triple_Goddess) as “God” of the _Merlin_ universe. She is first mentioned by [Alator](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Alator) of the Catha in Episode 4x7 when he called Morgana “High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, and last of your kind.” (Does anyone else think the fourth season is kind of late in the show for the deity to be named?)

In canon, the main servants of the Triple Goddess are the High Priestesses of the Old Religion. They were a group of nine sorceresses who held control over other magic users and were worshiped by them, or so the _Merlin_ wiki claims.

The [High Priestesses](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/High_Priestess) are supposedly equivalent to the [High Priests](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/High_Priest), of which Alator of the Catha is one. But the High Priests never claim to worship the Triple Goddess specifically. Instead, they serve the[ Old Religion](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Old_Religion). I take this to mean that they could serve other gods, perhaps even gods that are at odds with the Triple Goddess. This might allow for an (overly anal) fanfic author to develop a better explanation for the enmity between Alator and Morgana. Why would they have been at such odds if they truly served the same goddess?

Omnipotence?

In Episode 5x5, the three [Disir](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Disir_\(Court\)), whose job it is to interpret the world of the Triple Goddess and act as her mouthpiece, proclaim that the goddess presides over all, sees all, and knows all.

The wiki uses this statement to claim that the Triple Goddess possesses omnipotence, stated as: "She has unlimited power and as a spirit can do anything she wants."

But is this actually the case? "Presiding" is not the same as controlling or being all-powerful. I guess this gets into all sorts of theology questions about why all-powerful gods don't interfere more in human affairs. If the Triple Goddess is all-powerful, why deliver a [runemark](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Runemark) via the Disir to judge Arthur for turning against the Old Religion? Why play games with Mordred's life? Why not just intervene directly and put Morgana on the throne?

For the sake of story-telling, I prefer there to be multiple deities, none of them all-powerful, and that they struggle the way humans do. That seems the way the gods operate when I have read Greek and Roman myths. And in what I'm reading of the Celtic myths, that also seems to be the case. For instance, we have the story of the [Dagda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dagda) sleeping with the Morrígan in exchange for battle plans against his enemies. That doesn't sound all-powerful at all.

So we'll go with the Triple Goddess not being omnipotent.

You can read more about the omnipotence of deities [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnipotence).

A singular Triple Goddess?

It seems to be a [modern idea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Goddess_\(Neopaganism\)#History_and_development) that there is a [singular triple goddess](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Goddess_\(Neopaganism\)), and that the goddess manifests as Maiden, Mother, and Crone, each represented by a different phase of the moon (new moon, full moon, old moon). This understanding is not found in any ancient sources. (According to Wikipedia which cites a book; I’m just regurgitating.)

In modern neopaganism, the Triple Goddess is also seen as the Goddess of the Underworld (with three aspects: Birth, Procreation, and Death); Goddess of the Earth (with three aspects: Spring, Summer, Winter); and Goddess of the Sky (with three aspects: New Moon, Full Moon, Waning Moon).

_Merlin_ , being modern, may very well have based the Triple Goddess off of this idea of a singular Goddess. The _Merlin_ wiki includes an artistic depiction of the [Triple Goddess](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Triple_Goddess) as “Maiden Huntress, Mother Goddess, and Death Crone,” which would point to the modern interpretation. But nowhere in actual Merlin canon is this specified.

Canon names for the Goddess

The _Merlin_ wiki claims that the mentions of Arianrhod (5x9) and Nemain (5x12) refer to the Triple Goddess. I’m not sure that _Merlin_ canon supports this, but I can see an argument for it.

Arianrhod is a mother goddess. And Gaius calls Nemain the “earth mother”. In that case, the Triple Goddess would have two different aspects that both represent mothers, which would kind of defeat the whole maiden/mother/crone concept.

That would be freeing in terms of developing a mythology for _Frayed_ that respects both canon and the original Celtic myths.

The White Goddess, Arianrhod

After Gwen is mind-controlled by Morgana with the _[Teine Diaga](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Mandrake_Root) (_the "sacred fire") in the “The Dark Tower” (5x6), the [Dochraid](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Dochraid) tells Merlin/Dragoon, “Your Queen is doomed, Emrys. Her spirit has been consumed by the _Teine Diaga_. Bound by the silver wheel for all eternity. Her body is nothing but an empty vessel filled by the will of another.” (5x9)

She also says, “You must travel to the Cauldron of Arianrhod. There you will need all of your powers, for you must summon the White Goddess herself... The Queen must enter the Cauldron. Its waters hold the Goddess' power.”

The Merlin wiki considers The White Goddess to be the Triple Goddess. Is she?

Googling “The White Goddess”, the most common result is of a [book of that title](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Goddess) written by [Robert Graves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Graves). He proposes the existence of a European deity, the "White Goddess of Birth, Love and Death", inspired and represented by the phases of the moon. Graves’s White Goddess is a Triple Goddess, the one and only Triple Goddess.

So I’m good with equating the White Goddess with the Triple Goddess. But what of Arianrhod?

[Arianrhod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianrhod) is the name of a Welsh mother goddess. We can surmise that the White Goddess and Arianrhod are one and the same. First, the Cauldron where the White Goddess is summoned is “The Cauldron of Arianrhod.” And second, the name "Arianrhod" is from the Welsh _arian_ , "silver," and _rhod_ , "wheel.” Arianrhod is the “silver wheel” (the moon) which the Dochraid referred to that is binding Gwen’s spirit for all eternity.

The High Priestesses serve the Triple Goddess, and during the _Teine Diaga_ , it is the Silver Wheel that binds their victim. We know that the Silver Wheel is the goddess Arianrhod. I assume the High Priestesses don’t serve anyone beyond the Triple Goddess, and therefore I assume that Arianrhod, The White Goddess, is another aspect of the Triple Goddess the High Priestesses serve.

So in “[With All My Heart](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/With_All_My_Heart)”, we have Arianrhod as the White Goddess, who is the same as the Triple Goddess.

Arianrhod is the Welsh goddess of the moon and stars. As a character of Welsh mythology, she has a rather strange tale as a mother who seeks revenge against her child. (Though she should have been getting vengeance against some others, unless I’m misunderstanding the summaries. I’m not sure that’s a great model for a mother goddess? You can read her strange tale [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianrhod#Mabinogion).)

Nemain/Nemaine/Nemhain

As with most mythological names, this one has many spellings that refer to the same character. In Merlin canon, two different spellings are used, but they both refer to the goddess Nemain.

In “[The Diamond of the Day: Part One](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Diamond_of_the_Day)” (5x12), Gaius tells Merlin that the [Gean Canach](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Gean_Canach) (the evil, magic-stealing slug) had been forged by the tears of the Earth Mother Nemaine.

There is also a[ Pool of Nemhain](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Pool_of_Nemhain) in Episode 4x9, “[Lancelot du Lac](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Lancelot_du_Lac)”. The Pool of Nemhain is the last of the five Gateways that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead (The [Spirit World](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Spirit_World) or the Otherworld). It is this pool that Morgana uses to raise the shade of Lancelot.

[Nemain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemain) was a goddess who personifies the frenzied havoc of war. The war goddess the [Morrígan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan) often appears as three sisters called the three Morrígna, and Nemain is sometimes listed as one of these. (As always, there is great variation.) Nemain confounds armies, so that friendly bands slaughter each other, and can kill a hundred men with a single battle cry. She sometimes appears as a bean nighe, the weeping washer by a river, washing the clothes or entrails of a doomed warrior.

So, in Gaelic mythology, Nemain is an aspect of a triple goddess, the Morrígan, though I don’t see that she is ever called an earth mother, as Gaius referred to her. If there is only one Triple Goddess in Merlin canon, then it stands to reason that Nemain would be one of her aspects.

Ceridwen

I do not think [Ceridwen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceridwen) is named directly in Merlin canon in any form. Robert Graves considers Ceridwen (Caridwen/Cerridwen) to be “the White Goddess... the Muse Goddess.” She is considered by many modern pagans to be a Celtic goddess of rebirth, transformation, and inspiration

In his book, Robert Graves makes[ the connection between Ceridwen and Arianrhod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianrhod#In_other_sources) because the mythological character Taliesin claimed to have spent three periods in the prison/castle of Arianrhod.

I assume that the reason Graves made that connection was because Taliesin’s story twines with Ceridwen’s, not Arianrhod’s? I don’t have the book in which he discusses all of this, but am just trying to peace together what I can. So he maybe assumes that Arianrhod’s prison/castle was the same as Ceridwen’s?

Taliesin

In _Merlin_ canon, [Taliesin](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Taliesin) was a seer to the Great Kings in the time of the Old Religion, but died three hundred years prior to the start of the show. He appears to Merlin, healing Arthur and showing Merlin the crystal cave, telling him to look into the crystals, even though Merlin was afraid of what he’d see.

Historically, there was [a real Taliesin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliesin#Biography) who was believed to have sung at the courts of at least three Brythonic kings.

And then there is the [mythological Taliesin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliesin#Legendary_accounts_of_his_life). Here is his story:

Ceridwen was an enchantress (or goddess) with a hideously ugly son. She loved him anyway and wanted him to have the gift of wisdom and inspiration to make up for his ugliness. She created a potion of inspiration in a cauldron and made a servant, the child Gwion Bach, stir it for a year and a day. When the potion was completed, three drops sprang out of the cauldron and landed on Gwion’s thumb. He placed his thumb in his mouth to alleviate the burns, causing him to become enlightened instead of Ceridwen’s son. Afraid of what Ceridwen would do, he fled. Using his newfound wisdom, he was able to shape-shift and turn into many animals, but Cerdiwen always followed. At last, he turned into a piece of grain. Ceridwen turned into a hen and ate him.

This caused Ceridwen to become pregnant with the seed. She knew it was Gwion and wanted to kill him, but when he was born he was too beautiful to kill, so she placed him in a leather-skin bag or coracle and set him in the ocean. He washed up on shore and was found by the prince Elffin ap Gwyddno, who raised him. Even as a baby, Taliesin spoke in poetry. He grew up to be a great bard, a seer, and an enchanter. Legend says he performed in the court of King Arthur.

So I guess my conclusion is that because of Taliesin saying he was in Ariahrhod’s prison, Arianrhod must be Ceridwen. And that makes Ceridwen part of the Triple Goddess too? Though maybe Ceridwen/Arianrhod would be a single aspect with two names, and Merlin canon chose Arianrhod.

Since Taliesin plays a role in _Frayed_ , there may be some fun in making connections between his past and the Triple Goddess through his relationship with Ceridwen.

The Morrígan

Might _Merlin_ ’s Triple Goddess actually be the Gaelic goddess [the Morrígan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan)?

The Morrígan is said to consist of three sisters, the three Morrígna. The three sisters vary. Sometimes it is [Badb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badb), [Macha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macha), and [Nemain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemain); other times it is Badb, Macha, and [Anand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anu_\(Irish_goddess\)). The Morrígan is the name for the three of them combined. But at other times, the Morrígan is considered one of the three sisters, with her name interchangeable with Babd. And some scholars think that Nemain is the same as Badb. Not confusing at all!

Nemain is mentioned twice in Merlin canon (albeit with different spellings). As discussed above, the Merlin wiki considers Nemain to refer to the Triple Goddess. Since Nemain is already part of a triple goddess, it would make sense for the two to be the same one.

The Morrígan is chiefly seen as a goddess of war and battle, especially with foretelling doom, death, or victory. She does this in the form of a crow, the badb (one of her names). She incites warriors to battle and can help bring about victory over their enemies. She is a shape-shifting goddess and associated with the banshee of later folklore. She can appear as a hag washing a warrior’s bloody armour in the river, foretelling his death.

The Morrígan can also be seen as a [sovereignty goddess](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty_goddess). This term denotes a goddess who, personifying a territory, confers sovereignty upon a king by marrying or having sex with him. In this role she would be a guardian of a territory and its people. (Rhiannon can be seen as a sovereignty goddess as well. While the concept of granting a king legitimacy by having sex with him seems all sorts of wrong to my modern sensibilities, it sounds like a fanfic wonderland. I imagine it’s no worse than arranged marriages between royal families to bind kingdoms together, and at least, if she’s a goddess, she’s picking the person she thinks deserves to be king?)

The Triple Goddess of Merlin canon seems very similar to the Morrígan. At least if the behavior of the High Priestesses and the Disir is anything to go by, she seems bloodthirsty and vengeful in her role.

Ravens and crows

The terms “raven” and “crow” are often interchanged in articles about the Morrígan and in the _Merlin_ wiki. (Did you know the Merlin wiki has [a page devoted to ravens](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Raven)?)

I had read in places such as [this](https://www.birdnote.org/show/ravens-and-crows-whos-who) that ravens and crows are different, but Wikipedia [claims](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven), “There is no consistent distinction between ‘crows’ and ‘ravens’, and these appellations have been assigned to different species chiefly on the basis of their size, crows generally being smaller than ravens.”

So for the sake of this writing, I will take crows and ravens as being interchangeable.

The Morrígan takes the form of a crow (the _badb_ ).

In _Merlin_ canon, ravens (and/or crows) often appear in association with the Old Religion. Since the practitioners of the Old Religion tend towards evil (the ones we witness; I know there are many perfectly not-evil ones out there too), I had started to associate the raven with evil. But the association may be more between ravens and the Old Religion than ravens and evil.

Instances of ravens/crows in Merlin canon:

*Ravens/crows are used multiple times to deliver a magical message, generally to and from Morgana, although Finna also used a raven to send a message to Alator.

*A crow appeared at the Druid shrine in “A Herald of the New Age.”

*In a vision, Morgana saw a raven feeding on the corpses of Camelot’s knights in “The Darkest Hour.”

*The most significant occurence of the raven in canon is from [“The Curse of Cornelius Sigan](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Curse_of_Cornelius_Sigan)”. In episode 2x1, Gaius claims that “ _sigan_ ” means “raven” in the language of the Old Religion. (The language of the Old Religion is Old English. I found a [translator](https://www.oldenglishtranslator.co.uk/) that said _siga_ means “A chooser of the slain a raven [sic]”, though _sigan_ means “to sink, fall” or “to march, go, proceed.” A chooser of the slain works really well as a descriptor of the Morrígan, and “to sink or fall” could work for the character [Cornelius Sigan](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Cornelius_Sigan). (It could be argued that he is a chooser of the slain as well.) The raven was Sigan’s mark. He kept his fortune in coins marked with a raven. There were booby-trapped statues of ravens that fired arrows from their beaks. When he possessed another person’s body, the cry of a raven could be heard. And Morgana saw a vision of a raven as an omen of Sigan’s attack.

Triple Goddess as the Morrígan?

In _Merlin_ canon, the raven is associated with the Old Religion. It appears with Sigan (a powerful sorcerer, most likely of the Old Religion). It appears with the Druids (at [the shrine](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Druid_Shrine)). It is used by followers of the Old Religion, such as Morgana, [Ruadan](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Ruadan), and [Finna](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Finna). And it is present in Morgana’s visions of destruction caused by her use of the Old Religion.

The practitioners of the Old Religion serve the Triple Goddess (do all of them? or are there exceptions?). So we could argue the raven is the symbol of the Triple Goddess. And since the raven/crow is also the symbol of the Morrígan, it makes another correlation between the two goddesses, more evidence that they are the same.

List of evidence that the Triple Goddess is the Morrígan:  


*The Triple Goddess and the Morrígan are both triple goddesses.

*Nemain, a name the Merlin wiki claims refers to the Triple Goddess, is one of the possible aspects of the Morrígan.

*Ravens/crows are a symbol of the Old Religion and thereby of the Triple Goddess. The Morrígan is symbolized by the battle crow (badb catha).

*The Triple Goddess and the Morrígan both embrace war and have a lust for blood. (In this case, I am judging the Triple Goddess by the actions of her servants, the High Priestesses and the Disir.)

Who are the three aspects of the Triple Goddess?

Based on the _Merlin_ wiki, we could posit that Arianrhod and Nemain are two parts. To use the Morrígan of tradition would be to not use Arianrhod. Though sometimes the Morrígan is considered one of the aspects of the triple goddess the Morrígan. So could I say that the triple goddess consists of Arianrhod, Nemain, and the Morrígan? Bah, that has two aspects that are Morrígna and then Arianrhod is left out.

I’m not comfortable with adding Arianrhod to the Morrígan with Nemain. It’s really bugging me. So maybe I need to look more into the idea that Morgana’s Triple Goddess is NOT the same as the White Goddess of the Cauldron of Arianrhod, despite what the _Merlin_ wiki claims.

Two different triple goddesses?

The _Merlin_ wiki seems to imply there is only the one goddess, but the characters refer to "the gods" and we know the Celts were polytheistic.

And something about that whole _Teine Diaga_ thing (5x9, "[With All My Heart](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/With_All_My_Heart)") has always bothered me. Morgana used her powers as a high priestess of the Triple Goddess to enchant Gwen. So why would the Triple Goddess then help to save Gwen?

But if the wiki is to be believed, that’s what happens. It claims that the White Goddess is the Triple Goddess. In the episode, the characters ONLY mention the White Goddess, but the wiki says that Merlin has “to summon the Triple Goddess herself.”

As far as the [transcript of 5x9](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Transcript:With_All_My_Heart) goes, it is the White Goddess that saves Gwen.

In most ways, it makes more sense for the Triple Goddess to NOT be the same as the White Goddess.

The biggest concern with that theory is that the Dochraid said that Gwen had been bound by the Silver Wheel (Arianrhod, aka the White Goddess) for all eternity.

But who is to say that the priestesses aren’t able to call upon the power of other goddesses besides the one they serve?

Two different triple goddesses!

I think for going forward, I’ll be happiest with two separate triple goddesses.

The Triple Goddess of the _Merlin_ universe seems similar to the Morrígan, so I will go with that. Although she’s not Welsh specifically, the Welsh and Gaelic traditions (both Celtic) seem so intertwined that I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Ireland and Britain often interact with each other in Welsh mythology (for instance, Isolde is a princess of Ireland). And Gaels also settled in the north of Britain. The two groups interacted with and affected each other.

The other triple goddess, the Triple Goddess of the Cauldron of Arianrhod, can be more classically Welsh.

So the Triple Goddess served by the High Priestesses would be the Morrígan, made up of the three Morrígna: Babd, Macha, and Nemain (whose tears created the magic-eating slug of 5x13, the Gean Canach).

And then, the Triple Goddess of the Cauldron of Arianrhod, a.k.a. the White Goddess, would be made up of Arianrhod, Ceridwen, and [Blodeuwedd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blodeuwedd), the flower maiden. Arianrhod because she’s mentioned in _Merlin_ canon (as the Silver Wheel and the goddess of the Cauldron of Arianrhod). Ceridwen, because she is, at least in one source, considered another aspect of Arianrhod and because of her relation to Taliesin, who plays a role both in _Merlin_ canon and in _Frayed_.

The third aspect will, I guess, be Blodeuwedd, “Flower Face.” [Some](https://katewoodauthor.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/pantheon-of-goddesses-cerridwen/) [authors](https://www.nomeart.com/blog/the-triple-goddess/) consider Blodeuwedd (maiden), Arianrhod (mother), and Ceridwen (crone) as aspects of a single triple goddess.

Blodeuwedd is part of Arianrhod’s strange story. The short version is that Arianrhod cursed her son to never have a human wife. (Nice example of motherhood, right? Especially since she’s considered the Mother aspect of a maiden/mother/crone triad?) So the magicians Math and Gwydion (who are the cause of Arianrhod’s anger) created a woman out of flowers for Arianrhod’s son to wed. Thus, the maiden.

Conclusions

After excessive pondering and research (i.e. procrastination), I’ve ended up with two triple goddesses:

One, the Morrígan, the somewhat bloodthirsty Triple Goddess the High Priestesses serve. This is Babd, Macha, and Nemain.

And two, the White Goddess, the Triple Goddess of the Cauldron of Arianrhod, the goddess Merlin summons to cure Gwen of the _Teine Diaga_. This is Ceridwen, Arianrhod, and Blodeuwedd.

And now, in _Frayed_ chapter 76, I can say that a crow symbolizes the three Morrígna, the sisters who make up the Morrígan, which refers to the Triple Goddess as served by the High Priestess, and call it good!

(Someone please save me from my own brain!)

(Trying to decide on details like this is one reason I never get anything done, alas.)


	12. An Dagda/The Dagda

**DEITIES: THE DAGDA/AN DAGDA**

[The Dagda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dagda), or An Dagda, was a powerful god in Irish mythology. I’m stealing him for use in Wales as well as Ireland, as the Celtic mythology is all muddled anyway. (See the entry about the [Triple Goddess](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/54077608) for more about this.)

The Dagda is shown as a father-figure, king, and druid. He is associated with fertility, agriculture, manliness, and strength as well as magic, druidry, and wisdom. He can control life and death, the weather, the crops, time, and the seasons.

He is supposedly the husband of the [Morrígan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan), who is called “his envious wife”. The story is that he slept with her in exchange for battle plans. I did read a very [impassioned essay](https://lairbhan.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-morrigan-dagda-and-unions.html) by someone who claims that this was not sex in exchange for battle plans, but that the Morrigan and the Dagda were lovers already and sex is what lovers do, and by the way, honey, could you help me whip up some plans for this important battle I have to go fight in?

Either way, there was sex and there were battle plans and the two gods are associated together as in marriage.

But the Dagda had an affair with [Boann](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boann), the Irish goddess of the River Boyne. She became pregnant, and in order to hide their affair, the Dagda made the sun stand still for nine months, until the child Aengus was born.

Since the Morrigan is described as an envious wife, I imagine this didn’t go over well. Sounds like fodder for fanfic.

In _Frayed_ , I needed more deities than just the Triple Goddess. The Celts were polytheistic, and why would that change just because _Merlin_ canon doesn’t mention other gods by name? The characters refer to the ‘gods’ in the plural form often enough.

The Dagda seemed like a good choice to explore because of his relationship with the Morrígan/Triple Goddess. And he’s associated with all sorts of pertinent things: druidry, kingship, magic, time, life, and death. Perfect for this story.

As I write _Frayed_ , I keep coming upon more and more answered questions raised in Merlin TV canon. Why do the dragons destroy [Daobeth](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Daobeth) (as mentioned in a deleted scene from [The Darkest Hour, 4x1](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Darkest_Hour))? Where did the [dragonlords](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Dragonlord) come from? Why is the Triple Goddess so bloodthirsty? Why is [Taliesin](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Taliesin) present in the series when Gaius said he’d died a long, long time ago? Who was [Bruta](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Bruta)? Was Arthur really his heir? What happened between [Sigan](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Cornelius_Sigan) and Bruta? And then we can get into tangential questions such as who is Emrys and why is Emrys immortal? What’s up with the priestesses? What happened at the [Valley of the Fallen Kings](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Valley_of_the_Fallen_Kings) to make it cursed? What is the [Crystal Cave](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Crystal_Cave)? What are [sorcerers](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Sorcerer)? What is [magic](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Magic)?

My brain decided that it just HAD to know what might have made these things happen. And some of them are sort of answered in[ Chapter 78](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10926465/chapters/56171803). Using the Dagda as a consort for the Morrígan/Triple Goddess made it possible to come up with a storyline that could (possibly) explain these questions. It also allowed for a bit of exploration of soulmates, of what they are and how they might end up betraying each other.

It felt imperative to know the answers to these questions when I worked them out. Whether they actually matter or not, I can’t say. But hopefully in a story as long as this, there is leeway to expand upon the history and mythology of the land it takes place in.

Of course I’ve pretty much butchered that mythology, but that’s another story!

(UGH. AO3 keeps erasing the accents in the Morrigan's name. It will only allow them if there is no space right after the name. Sorry about that.)


	13. King Bruta and Cornelius Sigan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A discussion of the history of King Bruta and Cornelius Sigan, and how they are reflected in Merlin and Arthur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure this section is the clearest or most complete, but it's enough to help me remember what I was thinking. And now it's time to move on! :D

**BRUTA AND SIGAN**

Bruta and Sigan make their appearance in [Chapter 78](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10926465/chapters/56171803), with occasional mentions elsewhere. Since _Frayed_ is a story about soulmates, it seemed necessary to have Sigan and Bruta be soulmates too. I see in them a reflection of Merlin and Arthur: one the most powerful magician, the other a great king.

Here is some background information on these characters, followed by some arguments as to why Bruta and Sigan are a reflection of Merlin and Arthur. While Sigan was, as far as I can tell, [a character invented for the show](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Cornelius_Sigan), Bruta has a basis in mythology. A little more discussion of Sigan's symbolism can be found in the [chapter on the Triple Goddess](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977944/chapters/54077608).

Bruta and Sigan in Merlin canon:

[Bruta](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Bruta) was the legendary first king of Camelot. Here is how Merlin describes him to Arthur in “[The Sword and the Stone, Part 2](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Transcript:The_Sword_in_the_Stone)”:

> _"Many years ago, before the birth of the five kingdoms, this land was in an endless cycle of bloodshed and war, but one man was determined to end all that. He gathered together the elders of each tribe and drew up plans for the lands to be divided. Each would respect the others' boundaries, and drew it over the land as they saw fit. That man was Camelot's first king, ancestor to all that followed, including you, Arthur."_

Merlin then adds this fake addendum in order to convince Arthur he’s a true king of Camelot:

> _"When Bruta was on his deathbed, he asked to be taken deep into the forest. There, with the last of his strength, he thrust his sword into a rock. If his lineage was ever questioned, this would form a test. Only a true king of Camelot could pull the weapon free."_

Although Bruta is only directly referenced in "The Sword in the Stone", it is possible that he is also the king that had Cornelius Sigan executed for becoming too powerful. Bruta was the first king of Camelot, and it was said that Sigan’s spells “helped build Camelot itself.”

So it is a reasonable assumption that Sigan helped Bruta, Camelot’s first king, to build Camelot (and a peaceful Albion) and was then executed by him. Which is what leads to Sigan's curse and subsequent attempt to destroy Camelot in[ 2x1: "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan"](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Curse_of_Cornelius_Sigan).

Bruta in mythology:

The stories that I find are a bit muddled, but here is the general idea:

In mythology, Bruta goes by the name [Brutus of Troy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutus_of_Troy). He was the eponymous founder and first king of Britain. There are several versions of his story. In the _Historia Regum Britanniae_ , written by our favorite [Geoffrey of Monmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_of_Monmouth), Brutus is a descendent of [Aeneas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeneas) (a grandchild, great-grandchild, or possibly nephew; I’ve seen them all mentioned).

Aeneas was the child of the goddess Aphrodite and the prince Anchises and has been called “the first true hero of Rome,” having traveled to Italy from Troy and becoming the ancestor of the Romans.

Aeneas had a son, Ascanius, the father of Brutus. Before Brutus’s birth, a magician foretold that he would kill both his parents. He does this by killing his mother in childbirth and by accidentally hitting his father with an arrow later on.

It doesn’t explicitly say that the magician was killed in this version. Another version of the story is that the magician predicted that Brutus would be the bravest and most beloved in Italy. In that version, Ascanius is enraged and has the magician put to death. (What a great father, to hear good news about your child and freak out about it. Ego is dangerous.)

After Brutus accidentally killed his father, he was banished from Italy (or possibly left of his own accord because he couldn't stand to be there any longer). He traveled around with various companions having adventures. At some point he was given a vision by the goddess Diana, showing that he would find a land where he was destined to settle, an island in the western ocean inhabited only by a few giants.

Eventually he arrived at Albion, defeated the giants there, renamed the island for himself, and became the first king.

The Pendragons of mythology claimed to be descended from Brutus.

Bruta in history:

Brutus has been seen as purely mythological. Research into his historicity seems to agree with this.

When the Romans and Christianity came to Britain, the Britons wished to link themselves to the classical and civilized world, so they probably manipulated genealogies to create the figure of Brutus and make him the ancestor of their own Welsh kings.

You can read more about this [here.](https://childrenofarthur.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/king-arthurs-ancestor-the-legendary-brutus-of-troy-is-focus-of-new-biography/)

Bruta and Sigan in _Frayed_ :

In _Frayed_ , Bruta is the child of Ascanius and the grandson of Aeneas. The magician predicted that he would kill both his parents, and his father Ascanius had the magician put to death. This prediction proved true, as Bruta killed his mother in childbirth. Later, he killed his father accidentally with an arrow and was banished.

After banishment, Bruta wandered around, founding towns and conquering kingdoms, but he thirsted for more. He eventually arrived in Albion and was greeted by Sigan, his soulmate, who had foreseen his coming. The Albion of _Frayed_ has none of the giants from the original legends of Brutus of Troy, as their presence wasn't necessary for the story.

In _Merlin_ canon, Albion was in an endless cycle of bloodshed and war, and Bruta ended all of that. Frayed doesn’t explicitly say this, and now I’m kicking myself wondering if that was a mistake. Frayed says that there were scattered people but no large towns, which is perhaps a compromise between mythological Albion as a home of giants and canon Albion as a place of endless war.

The end result is the same: Albion becomes a place of peace with Bruta as its king.

In _Frayed_ , the story continues: Bruta and Sigan built a great kingdom in Albion together, but the Morrígan grew jealous and whispered in Bruta’s ear about how Sigan would betray him. So Bruta had Sigan put to death. As a result, Albion fell apart. Goodbye, golden kingdom.

And of course Sigan cursed Camelot and came back to get his revenge, as he did in canon.

This version could be considered a bit more kind to Bruta's character, as he was led into the betrayal instead of committing murder out of fear and jealousy.

THE (HOPEFUL) SYMBOLISM OF BRUTA AND SIGAN

For _Frayed_ , I am trying to combine Bruta’s stories in a way that ties everything together and (hopefully) makes some sort of symbolic sense. (I’m an INFJ; apparently we love symbolism and metaphor, as is claimed many places, including the second paragraph [here.](https://www.quistic.com/personality-type/infj) )

I see Bruta and Sigan as a reflection of Arthur and Merlin. The concept that keeps coming to mind is the Christian idea that “Christ is the new Adam.” The idea essentially claims that Adam screwed everything up, and then his descendant Jesus faced the same tests, didn’t screw it up, and fixed everything. (You don't have to believe in Christianity to see the symbolism of the story.) (See [here](https://www.catholicstand.com/jesus-christ-the-new-adam/) for one discussion of "Christ as the new Adam".)

Similarly, it could be argued that Bruta and Sigan screwed everything up (I guess the Morrígan is the stand-in for Satan in this version). And then, hopefully, Arthur and Merlin will face similar tests, not screw them up, and fix everything, i.e. bring about a Golden Age of Camelot.

How does Sigan reflect Merlin?

Both are extremely powerful magicians who work closely with their king in order to build/improve Camelot. Sigan is betrayed by his king, who puts him to death for being too powerful. In Merlin canon, there is lots of potential for Arthur to find out about Merlin's magic and essentially betray him by execution. The setup was there, but it didn't happen. Instead we have Arthur accepting Merlin (right before he dies, which come on, people! Could the writers be any more cruel?). In this, Arthur is the more positive version of Bruta.

In _Frayed_ , Arthur actually does betray Merlin, but it wasn't entirely his fault. In this case, I suppose Morgana plays the part of the Morrígan. Technically, Arthur does kill Merlin, too, but because of Merlin's immortality, it doesn't stick. Just as Sigan was able to come back from death to get revenge on Camelot.

In what ways does Bruta reflect Arthur?

_Pregnancy and Birth_. It starts with the magician predicting that Bruta would kill both his parents. Then Bruta’s father kills this magician. So there is a magic-user involved before the birth of the child, as Nimueh was with Arthur, and things turn out badly for them. Ironically, the magician predicts the child will kill his mother (and father) and is put to death for this. Nimueh didn’t predict that Arthur’s mother would die (although Merlin implies in 1x13 that she knew this would happen) and Uther wants to execute her. (He would have if he could have.) And then he executes every other magic user he ever finds.

(What’s the moral of the story? Magicians, stay out of pregnancies, lest you be executed?)

So both Bruta’s and Arthur’s mothers die in childbirth, and they both grow up with only their fathers. Fathers who have been shown to be a bit bloodthirsty and prejudiced against magic users.

_Killing the Father._ Bruta killed his father accidentally with an arrow and was banished for this. (Though I’m not quite sure why someone would be banished for an accident.)

In [“The Sins of the Father” (2x8)](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Sins_of_the_Father), Arthur almost kills his father. This is not an accident, not exactly, but he has been manipulated by Morgause to do it. The reason he doesn’t do it is because Merlin is there and stops him.

Could this be considered a situation where having your soulmate with you keeps an evil from happening? If Bruta had his magical soulmate with him, might he not have killed his father? Perhaps the arrow could have been magically pushed to the side? Who knows, but it makes me wonder.

It can also be argued that Arthur killing Uther would have been a good thing, as perhaps Arthur would have been a better, less Purge-y sort of king. But Merlin didn’t think so. As he tells Arthur,

“This has been her plan all along! To turn you against your father. And if you kill him, the kingdom will be destroyed! This is what she wants!”

Merlin believed that the kingdom would be destroyed. And even if the kingdom hadn’t been destroyed, Arthur would have been miserable, perhaps even banishing himself as Bruta did in one version of the story.

And if we look to the case of Bruta killing his father, the consequences were quite bad: he was banished (or possibly left on his own because he couldn’t face what he had done, depending on the version). Sure, Bruta became King of Albion later, but that didn’t turn out so well either.

So in comparing Bruta and Arthur, I see a lot of similarities. But Arthur had Merlin to help him not kill his father, and it could be argued that this will lead to a better end.

_King of Albion._ In canon, Bruta is the first king; Arthur is destined to be the best king. So both special in their own ways. In Frayed, Bruta became king of all Albion, but because of his betrayal of Sigan, it all fell apart. And, hopefully, Arthur will be the king who unites Albion into one golden kingdom.

_Accepting magic_. Bruta, although making use of Sigan's spells to build Camelot, eventually grew fearful of his power and had him executed. Because Arthur grew up serving Uther, he also was fearful of magic and prone to killing magic-users. Thankfully, this is where the parallels diverge, and Arthur can accept magic, both in _Merlin_ canon and in _Frayed_.

IS BRUTA ARTHUR’S ANCESTOR?

Since, mythologically, the Britons trace the genealogy of their Welsh kings back to Bruta as an attempt to link themselves to the civilized world, it seems like a good idea to keep Bruta as ancestor of the Pendragons.

And when Merlin told Arthur about Bruta, he called him the ancestor to all the kings that followed, including Arthur. And Arthur didn’t disagree. Merlin asked if he knew the story, and he said that every child in Camelot did.

But does this still hold true when Uther claims that he didn’t inherit Camelot? In the [“Sorcerer’s Shadow” (3x11)](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/The_Sorcerer%27s_Shadow), Uther says:

> _“When I was your age, I conquered Camelot. I didn't inherit this kingdom, I won it. One day you'll be strong enough to take my crown, but not yet.”_

So if Bruta founded Camelot, and then Uther conquered Camelot later, it might seem like Arthur isn’t Bruta’s descendent. But this can be explained by looking at Arthurian mythology. Uther’s father Constantine was king of Camelot, but Vortigern betrayed him, and Uther fled to Brittany. Uther then had to conquer Camelot as an adult to claim what was rightfully his.

If you add in the history with the Roman occupation of Britain, it could get more confusing. But some royal families remained in charge of their areas, just underneath Roman rule. And other ones could have re-emerged from hiding after the Romans left. It could be plausible that Bruta’s descendants remained as kings.

Whether Constantine was descended from Bruta is another story. Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his _Historia Regum Britanniae,_ conflates two different [Constantines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_III_\(Western_Roman_Emperor\)) for his pseudo-history, and it all gets confusing. But as far as _Frayed_ goes, Constantine is a descendant of Bruta. In real history, he was just a common soldier. Though you never know who your great-great-great-many-times-great grandparent might be.


	14. The Creation Myth: Soulmates, Eiocha, the Gods, Humans, Mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking about souls is difficult! (And fun!) If anyone ever happens to read this and has some ideas about things that I have wrong, or good ideas I haven't thought of, please let me know in the comments. :D

THE CREATION MYTH

Celtic mythology seems pretty scattered and piecemeal. It’s not a unified collection of myths like some other cultures have. The Celts spread out over a vast geographical area and had many different stories for different places and times.

When looking for a creation story, I could only find the one with the white mare Eiocha. The websites I looked at made it sound like it was one of the more consistent Celtic myths, common throughout the Celtic world. I guess it doesn’t matter if it’s universally accepted or not, as it’s the only creation story that I found.

[One of the versions floating around the internet](https://celticreligion11094.weebly.com/origins-of-the-universe.html) starts like this:

> _Once upon a time, when there was no time, no gods or humans walked the surface of the land. But there was the sea, and where the sea met the land, a mare was born, white and made of sea-foam. And her name was Eiocha._
> 
> _Not far from where the land met the sea, a tree grew, a strong and sturdy oak. On the oak grew a plant whose seeds were formed of the foam tears of the sea. To sustain her, Eiocha ate the seeds, these white berries, and they were transformed within her. Eiocha grew heavy with child and gave birth to the god, Cernunnos. So great was her pain in childbirth that she ripped bark from the one tree and hurled it into the sea. The bark was transformed by the sea and became the giants of the deep._
> 
> _Cernunnos was lonely and he saw the giants of the deep who were numerous, so he coupled with Eiocha and of their union came the gods, Maponos, Tauranis, and Teutates, and the goddess, Epona._
> 
> _Eiocha soon tired of the land, being a creature of sea-foam, and she returned to the sea, where she was transformed into Tethra, goddess of the deep water, also known as Tethys._
> 
>   
>  _The gods and goddess were lonely for they had none to command or worship them. They took wood from the oak tree and fashioned the first man and the first woman._

WHAT EXISTS BEFORE TIME?

The first thing that stands out to me is that the myth starts with a time “when there was no time.” I try to imagine what that would be like, and generally come to the conclusion that if there is no time, everything is eternal and therefore nothing changes. And pretty much all I can envision is endless nothingness.

But the myth says that there is the sea. Which makes me ask, where did it come from? If there is the sea, then there has to be something which isn’t the sea, because there is a shore. And the sea waves are always moving, and changing, and it sounds an awful lot like something that exists in time.

So I wonder: what is before the sea? What is truly before time?

In terms of the _Frayed_ story universe, the answer to that is magic. In [“The Diamond of the Day,](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Transcript:The_Diamond_of_the_Day)” Balinor says to Merlin:

> _Merlin, you are more than a son of your father. You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky, magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself. You cannot lose what you are._

Magic is the fabric of this world. AND Merlin was born of that magic, IS that magic.

So what exists before anything else? What has to be there before the sea can start breaking upon a shore? Magic. And Merlin is in it.

Magic is incorporeal enough that I can see it as an eternity of nothingness, nothing discrete. Well... it’s not nothing, nothing. I think of there being sparks of magic, like an eternity of stars, but so many and all run together that it’s just a uniform mass of magic, and since there isn’t anything that isn’t magic, it’s like being nothing? Like a jar filled with water... the water has individual molecules, but they all run together. Except there is no jar, and the water is everywhere and everything, except there is no place and no thing and ARGH, eternity is so hard to think about!

HOW DOES TIME START?

So if the time before time is changeless, what starts things changing? How does an eternity of magic turn into a world of temporal things?

In this, I cheated. Sorry! (Sadly, my omniscient understanding of metaphysics is lacking.)

In [chapter 78](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10926465/chapters/56171803), Merlin is dead (as much as an immortal being can be dead). So he is floating around in the magic of the fabric of the universe, but at the same time still sort of attached to his body, listening to what is being said by the characters around him. That is why the dialogs are written without anything besides the spoken words: This chapter is from Merlin’s point of view, and he isn’t seeing anything. Just that the words drift into his (un)consciousness in an abstract sort of way.

So when he hears them speaking of death, it sort of takes that concept of death back with him to the whole eternal nothingness of magic. Now there is a concept of things that can end, things that therefore must be separate from each other. So how would magic separate?

If you pull something apart, you get two halves. But when dealing with creation myths, you usually end up with things like night and day, sea and land, heaven and earth, male and female. Yin and yang.

YIN-YANG AND THE OLD RELIGION

As stated on[ this website:](https://www.thoughtco.com/yin-and-yang-629214)

> _Yin and yang (or yin-yang) is a complex relational concept in Chinese culture that has developed over thousands of years. Briefly put, the meaning of yin and yang is that the universe is governed by a cosmic duality, sets of two opposing and complementing principles or cosmic energies that can be observed in nature._

I found this to be very pertinent, especially since in _Merlin_ TV canon, the Old Religion is based upon balance.

As[ the Merlin wiki states](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Old_Religion):

> _“The Old Religion describes the customs and way of life belonging to the magic users of the kingdom. It is based on the philosophy of a sacred balance between all people, creatures, and elements of the universe which must be eternally preserved. At the heart of the religion is the balance between life and death itself.”_

Dualities need to be in balance, because both sides are needed. (I suppose the definition of the Old Religion doesn’t restrict us to just dualities, but the idea is still the same: the pieces need to be in balance.)

But for them to balance, they need to be separate. If they melded into one thing, how could they exist anymore? If day melded with night, you’d get eternal twilight. If the sea melded with the land, you’d get eternal mud. Maybe?

In the yin-yang symbol, each side has a small dot of the other embedded within. But the dot is still separate, still its own identity. There’s not a sudden splash of gray in the symbol.

As the article about yin-yang says:

> _A dot of each color is situated near the center of the other's half. The two halves are thus intertwining across a spiral-like curve that splits the whole into semicircles, and the small dots represent the idea that both sides carry the seed of the other._
> 
> _The white dot in the black area and the black dot in the white area connote coexistence and unity of opposites to form a whole. The curvy line signifies that there are no absolute separations between the two opposites. The yin-yang symbol, then, embodies both sides: duality, paradox, unity in diversity, change, and harmony._

SOULMATES

Since _Frayed_ is a story about soulmates, it seemed obvious to have two souls represent the two halves of this balance. And it seemed important that they also must be in balance, with one not overpowering the other. But they can come together in brief moments of glorious ecstasy (possibly sex, possibly other things).

The meeting of the two opposites male and female via sex creates life. And the meeting of two opposites has creative power in other forms. In the Celtic myth, it was where the sea met the land that the sea foam bubbled up and Eiocha was created. If you think about the place where night meets day, it is something beyond either of them, a sunset, a dawn, something beautiful, something different. Something created.

So I imagine there to be great creative power when the two balanced halves unite. But there’s also the sad reality that they can’t truly become one without destroying the other. If the yin and yang combined together, you’d have a single grey dot. Both the yin and the yang would be destroyed.

Regarding male and female... I tried to stay away from that distinction in terms of _Frayed_. Yes, if you want to create children, it’s a good idea to have a man and a woman to do the deed. But in terms of soulmates, it’s not necessary that the two halves be opposite each other in that way. I tried to make it so that there are an infinite variety of souls made up of an infinite variety of different sparks, and they can recognize their other half in a way that is beyond just male and female. Their bond will contain great creative power, but it might be for creating something other than children. It could be for creating a great kingdom, for instance. Or for destroying a great kingdom, should the bond go bad.

In _Frayed_ , being a soulmate doesn’t assure you eternal happiness. The potential is there, but there is also the potential for great trouble. It is a relationship with great potential: for power, for happiness, for goodness, for evil.

The potential for negative outcomes increases when the relationship is unbalanced. If one of the partners overwhelms the other, if the two of them aren’t balanced in whatever way their unique balance should be, then it becomes unhealthy and destructive. In Frayed, I would say this happened when Arthur decided to keep Merlin safe at the expense of him not getting his magic back, and Merlin started fading away. Merlin needs his magic and his purpose in life in order to be healthy, in order to balance with Arthur.

If a person, for whatever reason, holds something else in higher esteem than their soulmate, the bond is unbalanced and the potential for great harm is there. Consider an example where Uther and Ygraine were soulmates, but Uther valued having an heir over valuing his wife. So much destruction that stemmed from that relationship.

SEA FOAM

Getting back to the creation myth...

Once I had a general understanding of how time began with sparks separating into dualities, I could move on to thinking about the first living being, the white mare Eiocha.

Eiocha emerged from the sea foam. This is a common theme in other creation myths as well. Other examples include the goddess Aphrodite and Viracocha, the creator deity of pre-Inca and Inca mythologies.

As[ this article states](https://www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-folklore/celtic-creation-sea-foam-placenta-birth-universe-009635):

> _What is more, sea-foam is a near perfect expression of ‘emergence’ and ‘transition’ in that it is formed out at sea ‘in the otherworld,’ and drifts to shore “where two worlds meet,” where sea and land become one._

I guess that makes sea foam a fertile sort of thing!

SOULS

Yes, I know it's backwards to discuss souls AFTER soulmates, but by knowing what soulmates are in the Frayed universe, I can work in reverse and decide what a soul might be.

So... What is a soul?

Does Eiocha have a soul? And if she does, what is it? Would everything have a soul? All other living things come from Eiocha, albeit in different ways. Would plants have a soul? Animals? People? Gods? Magic?

I’m not sure I am able to understand all the complexities of what a soul might be. But for the sake of the story, a soul is a sort of eternal crystallization of the magic sparks inside a living being, giving them sentience.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS

The original myth didn't explain the existence of plants and animals, so I added in a part about how Eiocha goes around the earth dripping sea foam, creating the plants and animals. Since sea foam is a source of creation, it made sense to me. It's plausible that Eiocha would wish to explore the land, and being made of sea foam, I can easily see it dripping behind her, with sweet little flowers and cute little bunnies popping up in her wake. [(Scenes from Bambi come to mind](https://img.cinemablend.com/filter:scale/quill/f/4/9/d/8/f/f49d8fc88a8458aa35859c8a5505adaf2b90d1f5.jpg?mw=600).)

My instinct was to say that the plants and animals don't have souls the way Eiocha does. But everything is made from sparks of magic, so maybe everything has the potential for a soul. If we're using sentience as a guide, certain animals would be much more likely to have a soul than, say, a mushroom.

SOUL POSSIBILITIES

I could see an argument for a soul being in relation to the amount of magic contained in a being. (Would that mean that Merlin is all soul?) But then you'd also run into the idea of quantifying souls. Are some bigger/stronger/more powerful than others?

That might actually go along well with my concept of soulmates. Soulmates have a bond between their two souls that is capable of great power, either for good or for ill. But—that's not based on the strength of a specific soul, but on the fact that the two souls complement each other perfectly: they represent two halves of a whole that was separated at the beginning of time.

So here are some possibilities:

1\. Only humans and gods have souls

2\. Only sentient creatures have souls (and then you'd have to define what is and isn't a sentient creature)

3\. Everything has a soul because everything is made of magic

And then:

A. Souls are the same for everyone in the sense that it's either something you have or you don't.

OR

B. You can have more or less of a soul based on who or what you are, perhaps because of differing amounts of magic.

(I'm sure there are other possibilities, but these are the ones that come to mind for now.)

At this point in the story, I don't think it's necessary to clarify. And I probably won't unless it serves a story purpose farther down the line. (Or if I realize I screwed something up and using one of these choices would be the only way to fix it.)

GODS

The gods were the children (and grandchildren, etc) of Eiocha's body (and of mistletoe berries; see below). I assumed that they would inherit much of her characteristics, including her soul. The important distinction here was that the gods never knew a time when all magic was one, which meant they never knew how when everything is the same, everything is nothing.

This assumes that Eiocha understood about the unity and nothingness despite being created after time began. I decided that each step removed from the unity before time meant a little less awareness of what had come before. Eiocha mostly knew, but the gods knew less, and the humans knew least of all.

LONELINESS

The creation myth says that gods were lonely and wanted someone to worship them, and this is why they created humans.

Because the cure for loneliness is to be worshipped. Duh.

This version of the story makes the gods sound very self-centered.

I tried to make the gods a little more sympathetic in Frayed by tying their loneliness back to the longing for one's missing half. Nor do they understand the consequence of what happens if the two halves unite permanently, how it destroys both halves.

Instead of selfishness, the gods suffer from the pain of longing and ignorance.

HUMANS

The gods made humans from the bark of the oak tree, the same tree that had the mistletoe with the berries that Eiocha ate to become pregnant.

So why then do humans have souls? They weren’t made of sea foam, but neither were they Eiocha’s children. Using the Christian idea of God making man in his image, I figured that the Celtic gods could do the same for humans, including the soul, despite them being limited as compared to the concept of a Christian God.

MISTLETOE

In the Celtic story of creation, it says that there was a plant that grew on the oak tree. Eiocha ate its seeds, and they turned into white berries (either in her stomach or possibly on the tree). And this turned into the god Cernunnos, whom she gave birth to.

I thought I’d heard of a plant with white berries and was thinking it was holly. (This would have been nice in terms of the symbolism of the Oak King and the Holly King.) But then I realized, no, it’s mistletoe. (I live in a place where neither holly nor mistletoe grows, so I am not very familiar with either of them.) Mistletoe has white berries, and mistletoe grows on trees in a sort of parasitic relationship, especially oaks. And then I read [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistletoe#Cultural_references):

> _Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. [25] The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as "oak sperm."_

So it seemed rather obvious that the plant on the oak had to be mistletoe.

I don’t want soulmates to have a parasitic relationship with each other, so I wasn’t completely sure about this metaphor. But I figure as long as the mistletoe doesn’t kill the tree... and that’s a good analogy right there. As long as the soulmates are in balance, and one isn’t taking too much from the other, then they do all right.

I’m not sure I can call it a symbiotic relationship, because I don’t think that in the real world, the oak tree gains anything from this relationship. But in the story world, I suggested that maybe the oak tree was happy for the company. Of course, that implies that the oak tree is sentient and has a soul... Perhaps everything has a soul? (See discussion on souls above.)

Doing more [research](https://earthsky.org/earth/lifeform-of-the-week-mistletoes-parasitic-kiss)... Mistletoe is a water parasite, which means it takes up water but not nutrients from the oak. It can, over time, cause structural defects in the oak tree, but these have been shown to be beneficial for wildlife. So even if the mistletoe isn’t obviously beneficial to the oak tree, it can be beneficial to the ecosystem. And now I find other benefits mistletoe provides, as discussed [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistletoe#Ecological_importance). I can see parallels with how a healthy soulmate relationship can also be beneficial for the “ecosystem”, or the world and people around the soulmates.

A NOTE ABOUT GIANTS

In both the story of Eiocha and the story of Bruta, giants are mentioned. But because Frayed is complicated enough already, I didn’t include them. At this point, their inclusion wouldn’t add anything beyond mythological accuracy, and I’ve probably got too much of that already.

ALBION

Once the world and its inhabitants were created, it was time to work on the history of Albion and Camelot. This will be discussed in the next chapter.


	15. Spells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Translations of spells used in _Frayed_.

SPELLS AND TRANSLATIONS

All spells in _Frayed_ are taken from the Merlin wiki. There is a great list of the spells in the show [here](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Spells). They are listed in categories and then listed by episode. When I need a spell, I scour through all the options to see which ones might work. 

* * *

CHAPTER 19: Gaius heals Merlin

**_Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle._ **

“Le Morte d’Arthur”: Merlin trying to save Arthur in Camelot

▪ Spelling according to "Merlin the Complete Guide" = _Gestathole. Thurhhaele._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle!_  
▪ Literal translation = Help/support hole/perforation/aperture. Heal thoroughly.  
▪ Possible meaning = Heal the injury! Heal thoroughly!  
▪ Meaning according to "Merlin the Complete Guide" = **Cure. Make well.**

* * *

CHAPTER 19: Gaius heals Merlin

**_Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ! Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare._ **

“The Crystal Cave”: Merlin curing Morgana from her cranium wound with the powerful dragon's spell

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ic pe purhhaele pinu licsar mid pam sundorcraeft paere ealdan ae!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!_  
▪ Literal translation = I thee heal thoroughly your wound/body wound/mortal wound with those special powers the/that are ancient/old oh/alas!  
▪ Possible meaning = **I heal you thoroughly from your mortal wound with those special powers that are ancient! Oh!**

* * *

CHAPTER 19: Gaius heals Merlin

**_Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie!”_ **

“A Servant of Two Masters”: Morgana cures Merlin's wound

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ic de durhhæle dinu licsar mid dam sundorcræft dære ealdan æ. Drycræft durhhæle dina wunda on de geedstadolie!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie!_  
▪ Literal translation = I thee heal thoroughly thine wound/mortal wound with the/that special power the/that ancient/old oh!/alas! Witchcraft/magic/sorcery heals thoroughly your wounds and thee establish/strengthen/settle/fix!  
▪ Possible meaning = **I heal you thoroughly from your wound with that special power that is ancient. Oh! Magic heals thoroughly your wounds and strengthens you!**

* * *

CHAPTER 25: Gaius heals Gwaine

**“ _Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle_!**

“Le Morte d’Arthur”: Merlin trying to save Arthur in Camelot

▪ Spelling according to "Merlin the Complete Guide" = _Gestathole. Thurhhaele._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle!_  
▪ Literal translation = Help/support hole/perforation/aperture. Heal thoroughly.  
▪ Possible meaning = Heal the injury! Heal thoroughly!  
▪ Meaning according to "Merlin the Complete Guide" = **Cure. Make well.**

* * *

CHAPTER 29: Merlin calls the dragon

**_"O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!"_ **

“The Tears of Uther Pendragon, Part One”: Merlin summoning the dragon

(note: this spell is in Homeric Greek; it is possible that it is incorrect, considering how it should be spelt in Ancient Greek alphabet)  
▪ (phonetic spelling) _O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Ω δρακον, έάω μαλερός σοφόνους φθέγγομαι τείδε άναδικέω!_  
▪ Literal translation = O dragon, suffer/permit fierce/raging wise-minded utter a sound here appeal for a rehearsing of a case.  
▪ Possible meaning = **O dragon, permit the appeal for an audience to speak here, fierce, wise-minded one.**

* * *

CHAPTER 30: Agravaine summons a crow

**_“Cume mec, hræfn wann... bebuge me. Nim bod min þissere nihte þinum dryhten. Geðo hit his agendum handum.”_ **

“Another's Sorrow”: Morgana summons a crow

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Cume mec, hraefn wan... bebuge me. Nim bod min thissere nihte thinum drhytne. Gedo hit his agenum handum._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Cume mec, hræfn wann... bebuge me. Nim bod min þissere nihte þinum dryhten. Geðo hit his agendum handum._  
▪ Literal translation = Come (to) me, raven/sign of the raven dark/dusky/lurid... flow round/surround/enclose/reach/extend me. Take/receive/get command/message with this night/darkness thine/thy ruler/king/lord. Take/get it his (to) owner/master/possessor hand/person/holder.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Come to me, dark raven... reach me. Take my message in this night to your king. Take it to its owner's hand.**

* * *

CHAPTER 36: Merlin makes a sphere of light

**_Leoht._ **

“The Darkest Hour: Part One”: Merlin creates a sphere of light on his hand

  
▪ (phonetic spelling) _Leoht_.  
▪ (possible spelling) _Leoht_.  
▪ (Old English spelling) _Léoht_.  
▪ Literal translation = Light/daylight.  
▪ Possible meaning = Light.  
▪ Old English meaning = **Light**

* * *

CHAPTER 38: Morgana heals Arthur

**_“Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie.”_ **

“A Servant of Two Masters”: Morgana cures Merlin's wound

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ic de durhhæle dinu licsar mid dam sundorcræft dære ealdan æ. Drycræft durhhæle dina wunda on de geedstadolie!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie!_  
▪ Literal translation = I thee heal thoroughly thine wound/mortal wound with the/that special power the/that ancient/old oh!/alas! Witchcraft/magic/sorcery heals thoroughly your wounds and thee establish/strengthen/settle/fix!  
▪ Possible meaning = **I heal you thoroughly from your wound with that special power that is ancient. Oh! Magic heals thoroughly your wounds and strengthens you!**

* * *

CHAPTER 41: Ruadan heals Arthur

**“ _Þurhhæle licsar min._**

“The Sorcerer's Shadow”: Gilli healing his arm, creating a blinding light and a wave of scorching heat

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Purhhaele licsar min._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Þurhhæle licsar min._  
▪ Literal translation = Heal thoroughly wound/body wound/mortal wound my.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Heal thoroughly my body wound.**

* * *

CHAPTER 41: Ruadan heals Arthur

**“ _Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie_.”**

“A Servant of Two Masters”: Morgana cures Merlin's wound

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ic de durhhæle dinu licsar mid dam sundorcræft dære ealdan æ. Drycræft durhhæle dina wunda on de geedstadolie!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda ond ðe geedstaðolie!_  
▪ Literal translation = I thee heal thoroughly thine wound/mortal wound with the/that special power the/that ancient/old oh!/alas! Witchcraft/magic/sorcery heals thoroughly your wounds and thee establish/strengthen/settle/fix!  
▪ Possible meaning = **I heal you thoroughly from your wound with that special power that is ancient. Oh! Magic heals thoroughly your wounds and strengthens you!**

* * *

CHAPTER 51: Morgana puts out the fire

**“ _Acwence þa bælblyse_!”**

“The Secret Sharer”: Gaius uses his magic to extinguish the fire

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Acwence tha bælblysse!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Acwence þa bælblyse!_  
▪ Literal translation = Quench/extinguish/put out the/that/those/when blaze of a fire/funeral blaze.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Extinguish this blaze**

* * *

CHAPTER 51: Morgana stuns the soldier

**_Acwele_!**

“The Gates of Avalon”: Merlin using Sidhe magic to attack Sophia

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Og kelis!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Acwele!_  
▪ Literal translation = Destroy/kill.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Destroy her!**

* * *

CHAPTER 66: Morgana enchants the nathair

**_Unmicel snaca, suge þa soþan... swilcnesse._ **

“The Sword in the Stone: Part One”: Morgana persuades a Nathair to torture Elyan

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Unmicel snacca, suge tha sothan... swilcnesse!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Unmicel snaca, suge þa soþan... swilcnesse!_  
▪ Literal translation = Little/small snake/serpent/reptile, suck the/that/those/when sooth/very true/real... quality/property/nature/state/condition.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Little snake, suck his true nature!**

* * *

CHAPTER 68: Morgana banishes the “monster”

**_Flíeh on nu moras!_ **

“The Darkest Hour: Part One”: Merlin trying to drive away the Dorocha

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Fleoh nu on moras!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Flíeh nu on moras!_  
▪ Literal translation = Fly now/behold on/at moors/morasses/swamps/hills/mountains.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Now fly back to the swamps!**

* * *

CHAPTER 68: Morgana puts Leon to sleep

**_Swefe nu._ **

“Sweet Dreams”: Merlin's sleeping enchantment for Vivian

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Swefe nu!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Swefe nu!_  
▪ Literal translation = Send to sleep behold/now.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Now send (her) to sleep!**

* * *

CHAPTER 69: Morgana’s fertility spell

**_Gewyrcan lif!_ **

“The Diamond of the Day: Part One”: Merlin creates a butterfly

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ye-wircan leef._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Gewyrcan lif._  
▪ Literal translation = Create/build/make/cause life/existence.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Create a life.**

* * *

CHAPTER 69: Morgana’s fertility spell

**_Bebiede þe arisan cwicum!_ **

“Valiant”: Merlin succeeding in making the statue come alive

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Berbay odothay arisan quicken._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Bebiede þe arisan cwicum._  
▪ Literal translation = Command thee arise/come forth alive.  
▪ Translation from "Merlin the Complete Guide" = **I command you to rise up to life.**

* * *

CHAPTER 76: Taliesin puts Tristan and Isolde to sleep

_**Swefe nu.** _

“Sweet Dreams”: Merlin's sleeping enchantment for Vivian

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Swefe nu!_  
▪ (possible spelling) _Swefe nu!_  
▪ Literal translation = Send to sleep behold/now.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Now send (her) to sleep!**

* * *

CHAPTER 77: Taliesin puts Arthur to sleep

_**Swefe nu.** _

“Sweet Dreams”: Merlin's sleeping enchantment for Vivian

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Swefe nu._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Swefe nu._  
▪ Literal translation = Send to sleep behold/now.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Now send (her) to sleep.**

* * *

CHAPTER 77: Taliesin makes a golden sphere of light

_**Leoht.** _

“The Darkest Hour: Part One”: Merlin creates a sphere of light on his hand

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Leoht._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Leoht._  
▪ (Old English spelling) _Léoht._  
▪ Literal translation = Light/daylight.  
▪ Possible meaning = Light.  
▪ Old English meaning = **Light**

* * *

CHAPTER 82: Morgana’s fertility spell

_**Gewyrcan lif!** _

“The Diamond of the Day: Part One”: Merlin creates a butterfly

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Ye-wircan leef._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Gewyrcan lif._  
▪ Literal translation = Create/build/make/cause life/existence.  
▪ Possible meaning = **Create a life.**

* * *

CHAPTER 82: Morgana’s fertility spell

_**Bebiede þe arisan cwicum!** _

“Valiant”: Merlin succeeding in making the statue come alive

▪ (phonetic spelling) _Berbay odothay arisan quicken._  
▪ (possible spelling) _Bebiede þe arisan cwicum._  
▪ Literal translation = Command thee arise/come forth alive.  
▪ Translation from "Merlin the Complete Guide" = **I command you to rise up to life.**

* * *

CHAPTER 82: Morgana unlocks the burial vaults

**_Tospringe!_ **

“Beauty and the Beast, Part Two”: Merlin opens the Troll's Cabinet

▪ (phonetic spelling) Tospringe.  
▪ (possible spelling) Tospringe.  
▪ Literal translation = Spring apart/fly asunder/burst open.  
▪ Translation from "Merlin the Complete Guide" = **Open quickly.**

* * *


	16. Towns and Cities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Towns and Cities

**EALDOR**

  
  
[Ealdor](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Ealdor) is Merlin’s home village. In Escetir near the border with Camelot. In trying to find a historical or mythological precedent for this village, I found out about the term “ealdorman”, as here defined in Wikipedia:

[Ealdorman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ealdorman) (/ˈɔːldərmən/)[1] was a term in Anglo-Saxon England which originally applied to a man of high status, including some of royal birth, whose authority was independent of the king. Old English ‘ _ealdor_ ’ lord + man

I love the idea of Merlin, a man from Ealdor, an Ealdor-man, being a man of high status with authority independent of the king. That sounds like a great description for him.

The definition of “[ealdor](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ealdor)”, as shown in wiktionary, also sounds like Merlin.

 _ealdor_ m (West Saxon)  
1\. elder, parent, head of a family; senior man; chief, lord  
2\. author; source  
3\. (in the plural) ancestors  
4\. (religious) elder

He is essentially a lord among the magical people, and a source of magic. By the time he’s waited around for centuries, he would be an elder and, possibly, an ancestor.


	17. Dialogue Credits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue credits

I feel guilty for stealing dialogue from the show without crediting it, so... Here's the dialogue bits that were stolen, the chapter they appear in, and their source. All transcripts are from the Merlin wiki. You can find a complete list [here](https://merlin.fandom.com/wiki/Transcripts).

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

**From Episode 4x9: "Lancelot du Lac"**

1:31, INT. MORGANA'S HOVEL - NIGHT]  
[Morgana dozes in a chair by the fire. Agravaine approaches, leans down and puts a hand on her back.]

AGRAVAINE  
My lady.

[Morgana bolts awake and puts a dagger to his throat]

MORGANA  
You better have a good reason for scaring me like that.

AGRAVAINE  
I'm afraid I do.

[Agravaine pulls up a chair.]

AGRAVAINE  
Arthur is to make Guinevere his queen.

MORGANA  
It's just like in my dream. I will not see that woman upon my throne!

* * *

**CHAPTER 24**

**From Episode 1x13: "Le Morte d’Arthur"**

MERLIN  
No. I'm happy to be your servant. Till the day I die.

*

MERLIN  
But you must learn to listen as well as you fight.

* * *

**CHAPTER 37**

**From Episode 4x12: "The Sword in the Stone: Part One"**

SIR GWAINE  
Sire! We're under attack! They're within the city walls!

* * *

**CHAPTER 60**

**From Episode 4x11: "The Hunter’s Heart"**   
**(Adapted)**

PRINCESS MITHIAN  
I would give up my own kingdom to be so loved. Farewell, Arthur.

* * *

**CHAPTER 62**

**From Episode 4x5: "His Father’s Son"**   
**(Both quotations adapted)**

QUEEN ANNIS  
There is something about you, Arthur Pendragon. Something which gives me hope for us all.

*

QUEEN ANNIS  
It wasn't Arthur who misled me. It was you. You are consumed by bitterness, Morgana.

——————————-

**CHAPTER 66**

**From episode 3x2: "The Tears of Uther Pendragon, Part Two"**   
**(adapted)**

MORGAUSE  
It's carved from the Rowan tree that grows at the very heart of the Isle of the Blessed. Only the High Priestesses and their Blood Guard have ever set eyes on it.

* * *

**CHAPTER 71**

**From episode 4x12: "The Sword in the Stone: Part One"**   
**(Adapted)**

TRISTAN  
Caught? Tristan and Isolde? I don't think so. We're too quick and too smart for the halfwit king in Camelot.

*

ARTHUR  
My name is Arthur Pendragon.

TRISTAN  
The king of Camelot!

ARTHUR  
At least I was.

TRISTAN  
I've lost everything I've worked for for some good for nothing king!

* * *

**CHAPTER 72**

**From Episode 4x13: "The Sword in the Stone: Part Two"**

TRISTAN  
So you know Arthur?

GWEN  
I was a servant in Camelot.

TRISTAN  
To Arthur?

GWEN  
No.

TRISTAN  
So why are you here?

GWEN  
He's my king.

TRISTAN  
I can't say I've detected many kingly qualities so far.

[Arthur is upset as he overhear this.]

GWEN  
Well, maybe you don't know him.

*

TRISTAN  
.....now you're getting your hands dirty.

* * *

**CHAPTER 79**

**From Episode 5x12: "The Diamond of the Day: Part One"**

_[THE CRYSTAL CAVE]_

_[Merlin is still passed out on the floor of the cave. Crystals surround him.]_

BALINOR  
Merlin. _[Merlin opens his eyes]_

MERLIN  
Father. _[He turns his head the other way and sees his father's ghost/spirit.]_

BALINOR  
My son.

MERLIN  
Are you here? Are you real?

BALINOR  
Dead or alive? Real or imagined? Past or present? These things are of no consequence. All that matters is that you heed the words of your father who loves you. Do not let go, Merlin, do not give in.

  
MERLIN  
I have no reason to go on. The battle is already over. Morgana has won.

BALINOR  
Only if you accept defeat. But if you fight, if you let hope into your heart, Morgana cannot be victorious.

MERLIN  
What hope is there without my magic? _[Balinor kneels down next to Merlin.]_

BALINOR  
Merlin, you are more than a son of you father. You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky, magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself. You cannot lose what you are.

  
MERLIN  
But how do I find myself...again?

BALINOR  
Believe, Merlin. Believe what your heart knows to be true. That you have always been, and always will be.

MERLIN  
Always will be.

BALINOR  
Rest now. Rest my son. And soon you shall awaken into the light. _[Merlin sleeps.]_

_*_

_[THE CRYSTAL CAVE]_ _[Arthur is shown in the crystal. Merlin straightens up after watching everything that just took place. He turns around and sees his father.]_

MERLIN  
Thank you. For your help, your guidance.

BALINOR  
I only offered a hand. You stand tall on your own two feet, Merlin, you always have done.

MERLIN  
As did you, father. I follow in your footsteps.

BALINOR  
Your journey has only just begun. You wield a power you yet cannot conceive of. Only in the heart of the Crystal Cave will your true self be revealed. _[They turn toward the center of cave.]_

BALINOR  
Move towards the light. Your destiny awaits. Do not be afraid. Trust in what you are, trust in what will be. _[Merlin walks toward the light. He stops and looks back his father.]_

MERLIN  
Goodbye, father.

BALINOR  
There are no goodbyes, Emrys, for I will always be. As you will always be. _[Merlin climbs up a step and walks to the light.]_

* * *

**CHAPTER 81**

**From Episode 5x13: "The Diamond of the Day: Part Two"**

**(Adapted)**

MERLIN  
No, the time for all this blood shed is over. _[Morgana turns, stands and faces him_.] I blame myself for what you've become...but this has to end.

MORGANA   
I am a High Priestess. No mortal blade can kill me. _[Merlin stabs her and she starts to feel the effect of the blade. Arthur looks on.]_

* * *

**CHAPTER 82**

**From Episode 1x1: "The Dragon's Call"**

**(Adapted)**

MARY COLLINS   
_[Wailing]_ (There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears.) An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son.

* * *

**CHAPTER 83**

**From Episode 3X13: "The Coming of Arthur: Part Two"**

MORGANA  
Tell me, Sir Leon, how have you enjoyed the first week of my reign? Speak up. Are you and your fellow knights ready to honour and serve me?

LEON  
I would rather die.

MORGAUSE  
That can be arranged.

LEON  
My loyalty is to the King and Prince Arthur. There is nothing you can do to change that.

MORGANA  
We shall see. 


	18. Does liking H/C make you a horrible person?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I theorize that liking Hurt/Comfort stories doesn't mean you're a horrible person. Perhaps it means you like to feel love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally written on 7-9-2017, somewhere around Chapter 22, and posted to my LiveJournal blog. Now that I have appendices, I'd rather keep everything together in one place, here.

Warning: this post is full of poor interpretations of psychological theories.

I think about the story I am writing (“Frayed”) a lot. I swear that it writes itself. It's all about wallowing in the H/C, although the C has been in short supply so far.

I have the feeling that my id is writing this story. (See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-ego) It wants certain things, and that's what it writes. It feels separate from my main thinking self, somehow. I spent a lot of time in my life journaling and blogging, pushing myself to always write that which was difficult to write, to expose myself more fully, warts and all. I think that experience helps here, because this story feels like it's exposing a big ugly psyche.

But thinking about H/C… I'm pretty convinced I understand the reason I like it. If there is a character that I identify with, I can live vicariously through their experiences. If they hurt, but someone cares about them and wants to make them feel better… that's love. The character is special enough to be loved and cared for, and that feels good. Vicariously I get to feel special and loved, too. And the more a character is hurt (and sexual abuse adds another dimension to that), the more the caring person will feel for them, which somehow feels like more love.

I think that's what's going on, but it's all murky. If we allow for the concept of an id, it's a confusing mess in there.

But I know this impulse has been with me since I was little. Very early in elementary school, there would be TV shows I watched where my favorite character was kidnapped, and oh how I loved it. Back then there was no torture or noncon or anything harsh added to it. But I loved it and daydreamed many a story.

And even back then I was embarrassed by it. My mom would ask me what stories I was daydreaming and I wouldn't tell her any of those ones. They seemed… wrong, somehow.

They still seem wrong… but I still love the H/C. When first reading fanfic, I read like a wild thing, 50k/day for over three years, always looking for that next emotional hit. I'm a junkie. There was a certain feeling certain stories could make me experience, and I couldn't get enough.

Fanfic stories have more freedom to indulge in this kind of thing. What tickles my emotional fancy will often not make for good literature. With fanfic, you can write all the wallowing, the indulging, the satisfying of the id, and not have to worry about it being quality literature the same way.

Though I still live in fear of the review that says that I'm a horrible, terrible human being for writing things like this, for wallowing in it, for letting it go on in a completely unrealistic and manipulative fashion. That the story is also inconsistent and full of plot holes, unrealistic and awful.

If we let Freud have his say, I think that's my superego talking, condemning all the immoral, selfish, sexual, shameful desires of the id.

At lunch today my mom asked when I would send her another story to read. But—how can I send her something like this? Aren't mothers supposed to remain blissfully unaware of their child's id?

Instead of being criticized, I've gotten a lot of nice comments on this story. And several that say, essentially, “Since I like this, does that make me a horrible person?” But it doesn't, of course. I just think there's something very appealing emotionally about the concept of H/C. I never felt comfortable talking about it to anyone—it still feels a bit like going out in public naked—and I think that's because of the whole superego/guilt complex cracking down on the instinctual and pleasure-motivated drives of the id.

I guess that's about all I have to say. I'll just add that writing this story is so fun… I honestly don't feel like it's me doing the writing… maybe someone gave my id a pencil. But to allow the story to go wherever the emotions want it to go… First and foremost, it's an exercise in emotions. Can I make myself feel certain things? And, for the most part, yes. Hurray!


	19. Thoughts on Chapter 74: How Tristan and Isolde are responsible for the appendices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly thoughts about Chapter 74. An attempt to bring Arthurian legend into compliance with Merlin canon. Blame it on Tristan and Isolde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally posted in my LiveJournal blog, but now that I have these appendices, I'd like to keep all of these things together.

I have a lot of things I want to say about this chapter.

I suppose the main theme is that I think I’m writing a story that’s harder than I am capable of doing. It’s probably twice as long as needed. Once it’s done, and I know the shape of where the story ended up, I would know better what parts could have been skipped. (I keep wanting to apologize to the reader and say it’s just practice. Which it is. So I guess you get what you get, sorry.)

But in the meantime, I just go where the storyteller in my brain tells me to go. It feels as inevitable as Kilgharrah spouting annoying statements that don’t help anybody.

I’ve become a little bit obsessed with trying to bring this story, the Merlin universe as according to the Merlin wiki, Versaphile’s map, real history, and Arthurian legend into line. Impossible, I know. And yet my brain insists on trying, and I spend too much time thinking about it.

For instance: The Plains of Denaria is shown as a wasteland in the episode “The Darkest Hour Part One”. Apparently wastelands are a theme of Arthurian literature, but the only ones I can find are the Perilous lands and Dyfed, which was cursed because of the deeds of Rhiannon and Pwyll. If I look at Versaphile’s map, she has the Plains of Denaria close to Dyfed. Denaria, Dyfed, what’s the difference? Right? Okay, fine, it’s not perfect. But close. And one could argue that myths change over time, and that Isolde might have heard a story about Dyfed and applied it to Denaria.

And I liked the themes that are raised by that story. They fit with some themes that will come up with other characters.

It bothered me that Tristan and Isolde were just smugglers in the show and the only thing that was the same as their legendary counterparts was their names and their love. So I spent ages coming up with backstories that could fit with both the legend and the show. How much of this background will come into the story remains to be seen.

I’ve been trying to set things up so that it will be a believable outcome to have Arthur as High King of all Albion, and to do that he needs to have interactions with the leaders of the different kingdoms, of which there are many. If I can stick with the story long enough (and not give up and end it early with a happy ending that isn’t Arthur being High King of all Albion), then certain passages with the backgrounds of Morgana, Tristan, Isolde, Mithian, Leon, and others would come into play.

In my head I imagine the reader complaining about not getting on with the main action. I want to, but all these threads and loose bits keep yelling at me to develop them. Every time I post something that isn’t Arthur and Merlin getting better, I cringe. Then I think: don’t post anything until it’s done. The problem with that is that I then go back and edit and edit and edit and never move on. Once it’s posted, I tell myself it’s out of my hands and push onwards.

I’ve learned so many things while writing this story. I’d like to make a glossary at some point, discussing all the places and their relationship to real history (or not), and where the names for these places may have come from, either from the show’s creators or for the map that Versaphile made. I have almost started several times, and then think: if you do that, you’ll never get the story done.

Anyway, back to Chapter 74:

Chapter 74 had so much going on. I needed to figure out:

—Tristan’s canonical background, why he hated kings, why his people were dead, how the Tristan of legend might have turned into a smuggler, his locations based within Versaphile’s map, etc.

—Isolde’s background, and how the Isolde of legend might have ended up as a smuggler. This led to further consequences that may come to light in the future as a contrast to what Arthur is going through. (Side characters are supposed to be there to provide comparisons for the main story line, so I see Tristan and Isolde as soulmates who have found each other without many of the complications that Arthur and Merlin have. And they will have wisdom to share, perhaps.)

—The whole thing with the Plains of Denaria and the wasteland. There are parallels in the story of Rhiannon that I found interesting that could have bearing on the actions of the other characters. I didn’t want to include that legend just to include it, but to have some sort of meaning for the later plot. We’ll see how well that goes. I’m trying very hard to include things for reasons, and to have all the side plots relate to the main plot. (I’m practicing! Forgive me for any failings!)

—Tristan’s understanding of the gods, which has led to all sorts of ideas and theories which may or may not make it into the story.

—How Tristan felt about Arthur, and why, and how he dealt with Gwen’s adamant contradictions.

—Prophecy in Merlin (the show) and in Arthurian legend. In the legend, there was a fiery star in the shape of a golden dragon and Merlin uttered prophecies to Uther about him being king. And much of that prophecy fit in perfectly with Morgana’s backstory. We’ll just leave out the part about Uther’s brother, because I cut that character out of the history in order to simplify things.

—This was something figured out awhile ago, but the place of Saxons in the story (and other groups of people that will come up later). I’m trying to make them more in line with both history and Arthurian legend than the show did, but we’ll see how that goes.

—————————-

I might start working on appendices anyway, even if the story isn’t done. I guess I ought to be careful of having spoilers in it? But that’s assuming someone would look and be spoiled. I think it would just hint at things and not ruin anything.

—————————-

On with the story!


End file.
